TfL staff are working hard to keep customers informed and ensure London keeps moving and remains open for business today. However, customers are advised that although the strike ends at 6pm services are expected to be disrupted throughout the day and evening and journeys should be completed by 6pm.
Services currently running on 9 of 11 Tube lines
Nearly 70 per cent of stations now open
149 per cent increase in Santander Cycle hires
Customers advised to check before they travel at tfl.gov.uk/
For customers travelling to Canary Wharf from central London, Docklands Light Railway (DLR) services are running, however they will be busier than usual. Enhanced river services are linking central London and Canary Wharf.
TfL has made it clear that 200 extra staff are currently being recruited for stations and this number is likely to increase. Taking into account existing vacancies and natural turnover, this means that over 600 staff will be recruited for stations this year.
Buses, roads and rail services are expected to be much busier than usual, particularly those bus routes serving major interchange stations. TfL is deploying Travel Ambassadors in order to help customers get around the city and around 150 extra buses are deployed to enhance existing routes. Santander Cycles have seen nearly 17,500 hires so far today – a 149 per cent increase on an average day in January.
Piccadilly line services are running from Hammersmith to Heathrow Terminals 1, 2 and 3, and from Uxbridge and Acton Town to Heathrow Terminal 5. There are no services at all on the Victoria or Waterloo & City lines.
Although National Rail services are not affected by the strike there are no Underground services from key interchange stations such as Victoria, King's Cross, Paddington, Euston, Bank and London Bridge. Services are running from Waterloo and Liverpool Street to some outer London stations.
The situation may change throughout the day and buses and the transport network will be very busy. TfL is urging all customers to plan ahead and to check before they travel at tfl.gov.uk and by following @TfLTravelAlerts, @TfLTrafficNews and @TfLBusAlerts on Twitter.
Steve Griffiths, Chief Operating Officer for London Underground, said:
"This strike, called by the leadership of the RMT and TSSA unions, is unnecessary. We had always intended to review staffing levels and we’re already underway recruiting 200 extra staff for our Tube stations. All of this will ensure that our customers feel safe, fully supported and able to access the right assistance in our stations at all times. We remain available for talks and we encourage the trade unions to come and discuss a way forward to resolve this dispute instead of disrupting customers.
“I thank customers for their patience as they try to make their journeys today during this unnecessary strike. We have hundreds of Travel Ambassadors on hand to help keep customers informed of what services are running and to help them get around the capital.”
The dispute centres around the ticket office closure programme that was completed in early 2016.
A recent independent review of the programme by London TravelWatch, commissioned by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, found that steps need to be taken to ensure that customers continue to receive the service and support that they need. TfL has committed to addressing the recommendations in the report by London TravelWatch and has started this process, working with the unions to review the staffing model and put more station staff roles back in where needed.