Explained: Why are TfL workers striking?

RMT’s Bakerloo branch has shared an infographic explaining why TfL workers are striking.

Staff are striking to “stop job cuts, to defend our conditions, and protect our pensions”, RMT says.

They are also attacking TfL bosses for having “complied with the Tories’ demands” over conditions imposed on short-term financial bailouts during the pandemic, which referenced those three areas.

Long wait for taxis

People have been capturing the long wait for taxis outside Kings Cross station earlier.

The queue can be seen snaking around the station as it has been reported that some have been waiting for their taxi for 45 minutes.

Fire Brigades Union expresses solidarity with TfL workers

The Fire Brigades Union has expressed solidarity with those taking part in today’s Tube strikes.

The union tweeted: “Firefighters know first-hand that cutting jobs doesn’t improve services”.

“RMT Union aren’t just fighting for their workers’ livelihoods, but also to defend the public’s safety and accessibility on London Underground.”

Jeremy Corbyn backs RMT strike

Taking to Twitter today, Jeremy Corbyn has shown solidarity with the RMT union workers who have gone out on strike action today.

He also wrote: “We must stand with them as they take a stand against pension cuts and attacks on jobs and conditions.”

Tube status update

Here is how all the lines are currently operating:

• Bakerloo Line: Service is operating between Queen’s Park and Harrow & Wealdstone at normal frequency. No service on the rest of the line.
  
  
• Piccadilly Line: Service operating every 20 mins between Earl’s Court and Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3 and between Acton Town and Raynes Lane.
  
  No service on the rest of the line

• Central Line: Service operating between White City and West Ruislip/Ealing Broadway, approximately. every 20 minutes, between Liverpool Street and Hainault via Newbury Park, approx. every 15 minutes.
  
  Service operating between Epping and Leytonstone, approx. every 15 minutes and between Woodford and Hainault via Grange Hill, approx. every 20 minutes.
  
  No service on the rest of the line.

• District Line: Service operating between Whitechapel and Upminster, approx every 10 mins, between Edgware Road and Wimbledon, approx every 10 mins and between High St Kensington and Ealing Broadway / Richmond, approx every 15 min.
  
  No service on the rest of the line.

• Hammersmith and City Line: Service operating approximately every 10 minutes between Hammersmith and Whitechapel.
  
  No service on the rest of the line.

• Northern Line: Service operating between Camden Town and High Barnet / Edgware and between Finchley Central and Mill Hill East, approximately every 6 – 8 minutes – with some stations closed.
  
  Service operating between Morden and Kennington, approximately every 7 minutes with some stations closed.
  
  No service on the rest of the line.

‘Today’s industrial action is a show of strength by workers’

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers says today’s industrial action is a show of strength by workers – in order to protect pension rights and jobs on the underground.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “I congratulate our station grade and revenue control staff members on London Underground for taking strike action in defence of their pensions and jobs.

“The effectiveness and industrial power of these members cannot be underestimated.

“TfL, London Underground Limited (LUL) and the Mayor of London have had ample opportunity to negotiate with the union properly to avert this strike action today.

“Their intransigence and stubbornness have left RMT members no choice but to act decisively.

“We will not rest until we have a just settlement to this dispute and we urge the Mayor to stand up to the Tory government who are cutting funding to TfL rather than try to pick a fight with tube workers.”

Warning buses & unaffected lines ‘busier than usual’

Buses, the DLR, Elizabeth Line, trams and overground services remain unaffected by strikes today.

However, they are “busier than usual”, TfL has warned.

The transport authority has instead urged people to allow more time for their journeys and consider alternative routes to get to their destinations.

Starmer: ‘I don’t want to see a strike’

Sir Keir Starmer has failed to say whether he supports the Tube strikes. However, he has accused the government of “starving TfL of the money they need”.

“What I want is to see an end to the strikes and to have this resolved. This has to be resolved by negotiation in the end,” the Labour leader told LBC.

He continued to say: “I don’t pretend to know all the details, but what I know of the issues that are in disupte, I think they are capable of being resolved. I think they should be resolved. I think that’s in everybody’s interest.”

He also accused the government of “starving TfL of the money that they need”, adding: “The decline is actually a direct result of the approach that the government is taking.”

Pressed on whether he supports the strike, he added: “Look I don’t want to see a strike. I want to see this resolved. I want to see this negotiated to a settlement. I think the failure or the inability to fill those 600 jobs is all to do with the government funding, which is why we can’t pretend the government is some impartial observer here, they’re a central player and they’ve got to step up and put the funding in place.”

What should commuters do?

Commuters should always check and plan their journey before they leave for their commute to see whether the lines are heavily affected.

You can check our blog for the latest updates and news.

You can also use the Official TFL website to check for closures and disruption.

Londoners recall peak-time travel nightmares this morning

Tracy Brown, 45, a mother-of-three from Acton, told the PA news agency: “Getting three children ready in the mornings for school is hard enough without a Tube strike making things harder.

“I am fed up of running around to get my children to school on time because some people are so greedy.”

Paul Glennon, 52, a construction worker in central London, said: “It is back to reality for all of us. No more parties and parades.

“I have spent my whole morning getting on and waiting for packed buses in the rain.”

Downing Street condemns ‘deeply disappointing’ strike action

Downing Street condemned the “deeply disappointing” strike action on the London Underground.

“This sort of action is deeply disappointing and not what the public want to see, not what we want to see for businesses still trying to recover post-pandemic, people’s lives being disrupted in London,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said.

“Obviously industrial relations at TfL (Transport for London) are a matter for TfL and the mayor but it’s clear that under the current funding settlement TfL must take all reasonable steps to avoid industrial action.”

Party is over for millions of Jubilee Bank Holiday revellers

The party is over for millions of people who joined in with Platinum Jubilee celebrations across the extended bank holiday weekend.

Closing the four days of pomp, pageantry and partying, the Queen said she remains “committed to serving” the nation to “the best of my ability”.

The 96-year-old monarch was absent for much of the celebrations, appearing in person for just over 27 minutes throughout the weekend.

Delighting thousands of people packed on to The Mall, the Queen stepped out on to the balcony on Sunday evening following the Platinum Pageant, which told the story of her life, and the nation, with an eccentric, fun and imaginative carnival-like display.

She was flanked by her three heirs – son, grandson and great-grandson – offering a glimpse into the monarchy’s future.

Surbiton commuter ‘can’t complete journey to Canary Wharf’

One commuter, Charlotte from Surbiton, said she was unsure if she would be able to complete her journey to Canary Wharf.

“We’ll see if anything opens up, and I’ll go home if it doesn’t”, she said.

“I’m pretty sure everyone will be delayed coming in today.”

She said she had been traveling for almost an hour already, adding that she didn’t feel like the strike was justified.

“I don’t necessarily see the reason for the strike”, she said.

“It doesn’t necessarily feel like it’s justified to cause this much disruption, especially when London is getting up and running again. It seems like a big setback for the city.”

Road congestion increases by 7 per cent

The Tube strike has caused delays on London’s roads, affecting private cars, commercial vehicles and buses.

Location technology firm TomTom said the level of road congestion was 71 per cent at 8am, up from 64 per cent a fortnight earlier.

The figures represent the proportion of additional time required for journeys compared with free-flow conditions.

Why is there a strike today?

London is in the midst of a 24 hour tube walk out today.

The RMT said that, under current proposals, 600 jobs will be lost, working agreements will be torn up and the looming threat to pensions remains in place.

Passengers stranded at Paddington station in nightmare Monday morning commute

Construction worker Miguel Basantes was stranded at Paddington station as he tried to get to work in Hampstead.

The 54-year-old described the situation as “chaos”.

He went on: “In Liverpool Street there were crowds of people and I was waiting for 20 or 30 minutes.

“I don’t know how to get to work.”

Indian restaurant worker Kundan Darla, 25, said: “I think it is bad, I am too late for work.”

Strike action is ‘regrettable’ says business group leader

Anneka Hendrick, the director of the CBI business group, said: “Strike action is particularly regrettable at a time when the economy is under such strain, so constructive dialogue to avert industrial action continues to be a priority.

“While many workplaces have already struck a balance between home and office working, those which rely on the tube network will need to demonstrate even greater short-term flexibility.”

Passengers were warned to avoid tube this morning

London Underground advised people not to travel on tubes this morning because of a strike by thousands of workers in a dispute over jobs and pensions.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) will walk out for 24 hours, crippling Tube services across the capital.

Transport for London (TfL) said some train services will run but it expects severe disruption across the network from the start of service on Monday to 8am on Tuesday.

Many stations, especially those in central and south London, will be closed, while stations that can be opened may only operate for limited periods.

Commuters struggling to get to work

Commuters said they were struggling to get to work due to transport “chaos” caused by Tube strikes.

Some 4,000 members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union who work at London stations were expected to strike for 24 hours from Monday morning in a dispute over jobs and pensions.

At Paddington station at about 7.40am, construction worker Miguel Basantes, 54, said he needed to get to work in Hampstead, adding: “It is chaos.

“In Liverpool Street there was crowds of people and I was waiting for 20 or 30 minutes.

“I don’t know how to get to work.”

Indian restaurant worker Kundan Darla, 25, said: “I think it is bad, I am too late for work.”

On the 18 bus near Euston station, Josie, 26, who did not give her surname, said: “I was under the impression they were on quite a good pension scheme, earning really well.”

London businesses ‘disappointed’ by RMT strike action

Richard Burge, chief executive of the London Chamber of Commerce said: “We are extremely disappointed that the RMT has called for a mass walkout by TfL workers in such close proximity to the Queen’s Jubilee Weekend when London will be full of visitors.

“The last two years hit London disproportionately hard and the capital is desperately trying to claw back some sense of normality after a tumultuous two years.

“This strike now puts TfL in a position of having to recommend that Londoners work from home.

“Ultimately, this will only harm London’s economy and it is time for TfL to sort out their dispute with the RMT so we can get back to building prosperity and showing the world that London is open business.”

Waterloo passengers SLAM ‘inaccurate’ information

Commuters at Waterloo Station have been left confused by advice on the Transport for London website about today’s Tube strike.

The TfL website advises travellers to travel between 8am and 6pm on Monday. However, it also warns that many stations will be closed throughout the day.

The entrance to Waterloo underground station remained closed as of 8.10am.

William, a commuter from south-west London, said that while he did not agree with the strike, the information given out could have been more accurate. He believed that he would be able to travel from 8am.

“I just wish they had put the correct information up”, he said.

“Personally, I don’t agree with the strikes as they stand anyway. However, if they are striking and they’ve gone through the correct process to do it, it’s out of my control. Then the information online should be the correct information that allows people to plan their journey.”

Frustrated commuters tell of their anger at shut Waterloo underground station

Frustrated commuters have gathered around the entrance to Waterloo underground station after the Tube was shut by a strike.

One commuter, Charlotte from Surbiton, said she was unsure if she would be able to complete her journey to Canary Wharf.

“We’ll see if anything opens up, and I’ll go home if it doesn’t”, she said.

“I’m pretty sure everyone will be delayed coming in today.”

She said she had been traveling for almost an hour already, adding that she didn’t feel like the strike was justified.

“I don’t necessarily see the reason for the strike”, she said.

“It doesn’t necessarily feel like it’s justified to cause this much disruption, especially when London is getting up and running again. It seems like a big setback for the city.”

TfL apoloogises for impact of today’s strike

Andy Lord, TfL’s chief operating officer, said: “I’d like to apologise to London for the impact this strike will have on journeys.

“We know it’s going to be damaging to London and the economy, at a time when public transport is playing a crucial role in the capital’s recovery.

“While our focus is always on helping everyone travel around London whenever they want, the expected impact of the RMT’s action means we have to advise people to only travel if necessary, as many stations may be closed.

“Alternatives to the Tube, including the bus and rail networks, are likely to be much busier than usual and we expect the severe disruption caused by this strike to continue into the morning of Tuesday June 7.

“No changes have been proposed to pensions and nobody has or will lose their job as a result of the proposals we have set out.

“Working with us to find a resolution is the best course of action, avoiding the disruption this strike will cause to Londoners and the economy.”

DLR and Overground services still running

Transport for London (TfL) said some train services will run but many stations, especially those in central and south London, will be closed, while others may only open for limited periods.

Other TfL services, including DLR, London Overground and Trams, are not affected by the industrial action and will be running but will be busier.

TfL said no proposals have been tabled on pensions or terms and conditions, and nobody will lose their jobs because of the proposals it has set out.

TfL maps to help you plan an alternative journey

Here’s a selection of TfL maps.

They can help you plan your walking or cycling journey around central London:

• West End walking map
• City of London walking map
• Walking times between stations map
• Cycling map