Members of the RMT union at London Underground have called off plans to strike over the coming week, as transport officials urged tube train drivers to follow suit. The RMT said it had suspended its planned week-long action, which had been due to begin on Friday evening, after receiving a significantly improved pay offer from tube bosses. The union said the decision to call off the strikes was taken after “intense negotiations with London Underground management and a significantly improved offer”. A spokesperson for the RMT, whose members include signalling and station staff, said: “London Underground have sensibly abandoned their proposed changes to pay structures, which now means all our members will receive the same value in any pay award. “Further discussions will take place next week regarding the pay offer but progress has been made which would not have been possible without the fortitude and industrial strength of our 10,000 members on London Underground.”
Before the strike was called off, RMT maintenance staff had been due to strike for 24 hours from Friday evening. Track access controllers and control centre staff were to stage a 24-hour walkout on Saturday, and its emergency response unit was expected to do the same on Sunday. This would have been followed by train staff, engineers and controllers striking from Monday to Wednesday, with TfL warning of severe disruption, with most lines not running on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Tube Drivers’ Strikes Still Planned
Aslef, the train drivers’ union, has yet to call off plans for a highly disruptive strike by tube drivers next Thursday and another the following Tuesday, but the Guardian understands it will meet London Underground on Monday for talks. Transport for London urged the union to take a cue from its fellow union and call off the action.
More Strikes This Month
Driver and management staff members at Aslef are still on course to walk out on 7 and 12 November, with TfL warning that no service is set to run on these days. Some members who drive maintenance trains will still stop work for 24 hours from 6pm on Friday. TfL has announced the exact days that strike chaos will take hold of the Underground this month, amidst ongoing tensions over workers’ pay. The authority has urged passengers to check for the latest updates before they travel to or within the capital, as there will be ‘little to no service’ across a number of days in November.
TfL said it was working hard to resolve the dispute, with dialogue with the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union and Aslef ongoing. Claire Mann, TfL’s chief operating officer, said: “We are disappointed that the RMT and Aslef unions have announced strike action, following our recent discussions over pay, terms and conditions. We are continuing to talk with all trade unions to discuss the issues and seek a resolution.
“Our offer is fair for our people and affordable for London. We urge the trade unions to call off this action, accept our offer, and avoid disruption to London.
“If it goes ahead customers should check before they travel as on some days during the strike there will be little to no service.” Reach has also approached RMT and Aslef for comment on the upcoming strikes.
Disruption on Other London Transport Networks
The RMT said they received a “significantly improved offer” and suspended planned industrial action, which would have started on Friday evening. Tube drivers - represented by ASLEF - are still set to go on strike.
In a statement, Finn Brennan, ASLEF’s full-time organiser on London Underground, claimed: “We don’t want to go on strike – we don’t want to make travelling in and around the capital more difficult for passengers and we don’t want to lose a day’s pay – but we have been forced into this position because LU management won’t sit down properly and negotiate with us.”
Meanwhile, across London there is a reduced service also operating across the DLR network until Sunday and there is a part closure of the London Overground between Clapham Junction and Surrey Quays until later today.
Strikes on the Underground Network
A typical weekend in London means half the tube network normally grinds to a halt for engineering works. There are a fair few lines that will not be operating this weekend so check below for the full list:
- Circle line: Saturday November 2 and Sunday November 3, no service between Edgware Road and Tower Hill (via Victoria).
- District line: Saturday November 2 and Sunday November 3, no service between Embankment/Edgware Road and Ealing Broadway/Kensington Olympia/Richmond/Wimbledon. Replacement buses operate.
- DLR: Until Sunday November 3, a reduced service is operating across the entire DLR while TfL expands the depot in preparation for the introduction of new trains.
- Elizabeth line: On Sunday November 3 there will be reduced service between Paddington and Heathrow/Maidenhead. Six trains an hour will serve Ealing Broadway, Southall and Hayes & Harlington in each direction, four trains an hour will serve Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3, and two trains an hour will serve Heathrow Terminal 4, West Drayton, Langley, Slough, Burnham and Maidenhead. Trains will not call at Acton Main Line, West Ealing and Hanwell.
- Overground: Saturday November 2 and Sunday November 3, a reduced service will operate between Kilburn High Road and Euston. On Saturday, trains departing Watford Junction at 30 minutes past each hour, from 6.30am until 8.30pm, will terminate at Kilburn High Road. Trains which usually depart from Euston at quarter past each hour, from 7.15am until 9.15pm, start from Kilburn High Road instead.
On Sunday, trains departing Watford Junction at half past each hour, from 11.30am until 8.30pm, will terminate at Kilburn High Road. Trains which usually depart from Euston at quarter minutes past each hour, from 12.15pm until 9.15pm, will start from Kilburn High Road instead.
Until 11.45am on Sunday November 3 there will be no service between Gospel Oak and Stratford. A replacement bus will run.
Sunday November 3, no service between Woodgrange Park and Barking Riverside. Use local London Buses routes EL1 EL2 and EL3 between Barking and Barking Riverside. Replacement bus service T operates between Woodgrange Park and Barking. Buses also set down at East Ham station towards Barking, and pick up there towards Woodgrange Park.
- Trams: There will be no service between Reeves Corner and East Croydon on Sunday November 3.
Fare Increases on the Cards
The government says it expects Sadiq Khan to increase tube and bus fares in London by nearly 5% in line with what was announced in this week’s budget. Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has hinted that the amount of investment transport in London gets over the next few years could depend on whether Sadiq Khan agrees not to freeze fares again. She said fare increases will be assumed as the ‘baseline’ for negotiations on future funding. City Hall confirmed a decision on fares for next year had not yet been made. Regulated train fares will rise by 4.6% next year which is 1% above in inflation as announced in the budget. Mr Khan has frozen TfL fares for five out of eight years as being Mayor.
Potential Disruption on Other Rail Networks
A broken down freight train at Burnley Manchester Road is causing disruption to journeys running between Hebden Bridge/Todmorden and Accrington. As all lines are currently blocked, trains may be cancelled or revised. Routes impacted include between York and Blackpool North, and also Blackburn and Headbolt Lane. Disruption is expected until 1pm. Replacement road transport is in operation between Hebden Bridge/ Rochdale and Blackburn in both directions. Journey times will be extended by 60 minutes while travelling by this service. Additionally, people may use their ticket on TransPennine Express services between York/Leeds and Manchester at no extra cost.
It really is not a good day for people in London wanting to get into work this morning. There are now minor delays on the Bakerloo line between Queen’s Park and Elephant & Castle due to an earlier faulty train. There is a good service on the rest of the line. It is not good news for commuters this morning using the London Underground network. There are also minor delays on the Waterloo & City line because of a faulty train.
Updates for Other Transport Network Disruptions
There is a reduced service across the entire DLR network until Sunday while work is done to expand a depot in preparation for new trains. There is also no service between Surrey Quays and Clapham Junction on the London Overground until later today for works to be carried out.
A fault at a level crossing between Staines and Virginia Water is causing disruption to journeys between these stations. As a result, trains may be cancelled or delayed by up to 20 minutes. This is expected until 6pm.
**Tickets will be accepted on the following services at no extra cost:
- South Western Railway services between London Waterloo and Reading/Guildford/Weybridge/Shepperton/Virginia Water/Windsor/Woking.
- London buses between Staines and Virginia Water.
A typical weekend in London means half the tube network normally grinds to a halt for engineering works.**
