The UK is facing a week of significant disruption due to strike action, with a series of walkouts affecting trains, postal services and hospitals.
Trade unions have been calling for better pay for their members amid the cost of living crisis, with inflation now at a 40-year high of 11.1 per cent, and the disputes have led to widespread industrial action in December.
While most London Underground and other Transport for London (TfL) rail services are not affected directly by the upcoming train strikes, there is a bus strike that is shutting down certain routes. Here’s everything you need to know.
When are the London bus strikes?
Workers on Abellio buses in the capital are currently striking. Action had also been planned on Metroline services, but these were called off after a new pay offer was made, and accepted by Unite members.
Routes affected by the Abellio strikes are mostly in west and south London. Workers already walked out on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 December, and will also strike on the following dates:
- Friday 16 December
- Saturday 17 December
Here are the routes affected:
Day routes
- 3, 27, 45, 63, 68, 109, 130, 156, 195, 196, 201, 207, 267, 270, 278, 315, 322, 350, 367, 381, 407, 415, 427, 433, 464, 482, 490, 969, C10, E5, E7, E10, E11, H20, H25, H28, H26, P5, P13, R68, R70, S4, U5, U7, U9
Route 481 will operate but with fewer services on weekdays from 7.30-8am, and from 3-4pm.
24-hour routes
- 24, 111, 159, 285, 344, 345
Night routes
- N3, N27, N63, N68, N109, N207, N381
School routes
Why were the Metroline strikes cancelled?
More than 2,000 London bus drivers employed by Metroline were set to begin strike action on Thursday 8 December, but this was cancelled after they accepted an 11 per cent pay rise.
They had originally been offered a 4 per cent increase.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This is a significant victory for our members at Metroline who, by standing together and being prepared to take industrial action, have secured a greatly improved pay offer.”
When are the train strikes this week?
The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) has called action that will see more than 40,000 rail workers at 14 major operators walk out on the following days this week:
- Tuesday 13 December
- Wednesday 14 December
- Friday 16 December
- Saturday 17 December
There will be further action on the following dates in January 2023:
- Tuesday 3 January
- Wednesday 4 January
- Friday 6 January
- Saturday 7 January
Additionally, there will be an overtime ban across the railways from 18 December until 2 January, which will affect the number of services that can run.
Staff at Network Rail represented by the RMT are set to walk out on Saturday 24 December at 6pm. They will remain on strike until 6am on Tuesday 27 December.
This strike involves workers who maintain railways, such as signallers and maintenance workers. The action is likely to significantly affect train travel over the Christmas period, with more information due closer to the time.
Will the Tube run on strike days?
The walkouts will affect areas where rail tracks are operated by Network Rail, with the main disruption to Tube services on strike dates coming on the District line and Bakerloo line.
On the District line, there will be limited services between 7.30am and 6.30pm between Wimbledon and Parsons Green, and Richmond and Turnham Green.
TfL advises that there will be no Bakerloo line services between Queen’s Park and Harrow & Wealdstone.
The Elizabeth Line will run a reduced service, running in three sections: from Liverpool to Shenfield, Abbey Wood to Paddington and Paddington to Heathrow.
There will be just two trains per hour between Liverpool and Shenfield, and between Paddington and Reading or Heathrow, with services running between 7.30am and 6.30pm – you can see the full details here.
Will London Overground run on strike days?
London Overground will be running on strike days, but with a reduced service. Trains will start at 7.30pm and finish at 6.30pm. There will be no Night Overground services.
There will be no services between Romford and Upminster, and Barking and Barking Riverside, with many other sections of the Overground network running just two trains an hour. The full details can be found here.
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