FOI request detail

Industrial Action

Request ID: FOI-3469-2324
Date published: 29 January 2024

You asked
Please can you confirm the total number of days which the TfL network has been disrupted due to industrial action since May 2016. In addition to the cumulative number, please can you also provide a breakdown of which TfL service (bus network, Underground etc) was affected and for how many days in each year since May 2016.

We answered

Our Ref:         FOI-3469-2324

Thank you for your request received on 2 January 2024 asking for information about industrial action affecting our services.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold the information you require. You asked:

Please can you confirm the total number of days which the TfL network has been disrupted due to industrial action since May 2016.

In addition to the cumulative number, please can you also provide a breakdown of which TfL service (bus network, Underground etc) was affected and for how many days in each year since May 2016.

We have provided information on industrial action affecting our network in previous responses published on our website:

2014 – 2018: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/transparency/freedom-of-information/foi-request-detail?referenceId=FOI-2596-1819   
2019 – March 2022: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/transparency/freedom-of-information/foi-request-detail?referenceId=FOI-2872-2122
April 2022 – June 2023: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/transparency/freedom-of-information/foi-request-detail?referenceId=FOI-0370-2324

Under section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act, we are not obliged to provide you with information which is reasonably accessible by other means.

Please see the table below for the list of other industrial action that has taken place on the rail network:
 
DisputeUnionServiceImpactDuration
Pensions, jobs and conditionsASLEFLondon OvergroundNetwork wide30/07/22
Pensions, jobs and conditionsRMTLondon OvergroundNetwork wide19/08/22
Pensions, jobs and conditionsASLEF / RMTLondon OvergroundNetwork wide01/10/22
Pensions, jobs and conditionsASLEFLondon OvergroundNetwork wide05/10/22
Pensions, jobs and conditionsRMTLondon OvergroundReduced service10/11/22
Pensions, jobs and conditionsRMTRail for LondonElizabeth line services in the Central Operating Section. Services from Shenfield operated to/from Liverpool Street Main line and services from Reading and Heathrow operated to/from Paddington Main line stations.12/01/23
Pensions, jobs and conditionsRMTDLRA limited train service operated over part of the DLR with no service over the rest of the DLR network7/11/23 – 8/11/23
Pensions, jobs and conditionsRMTLondon UndergroundEngineering Vehicles Operations and Maintenance personnel6pm 05/01/24 – 5.59pm 06/01/24

Please note that a strike on any part of the rail network, including that managed and maintained by Network Rail, will also have an impact on other services.

Please see the table below for industrial action affecting bus services. As buses are operated by the respective companies we do not hold information on the nature of the dispute, the services operated by each company will have been impacted by the industrial action. Information on which routes each operator runs can be found on our website: https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/buses/who-runs-your-bus?intcmp=44680.

Please note that the dates below are for a ‘service’ day and performance is recorded by calendar day. So for example a 24hr strikes will have impacted two calendar days though the impact on the second day will be much less.
 
DateDurationBus Operating Company
26/08/201624hrTower Transit
29/08/201624hrTower Transit
12/09/201624hrTower Transit
07/12/201824hrQuality Line
22/02/202124hrLondon Sovereign
22/02/202148hrQuality Line
22/02/202172hrLondon United
03/03/202124hrLondon Sovereign
05/03/202148hrLondon United
05/03/202124hrQuality Line
10/03/202124hrLondon Sovereign
17/03/202124hrLondon United
31/03/202124hrLondon United
01/04/202124hrLondon United
07/04/202124hrLondon United
15/04/202124hrLondon United
23/04/202124hrLondon United
28/03/202248hrArriva London South
11/05/202224hrArriva London South
19/08/202248hrLondon United
28/08/202248hrLondon United
22/11/202224hrAbellio London & West
25/11/202248hrAbellio London & West
01/12/202372hrAbellio London & West
09/12/202248hrAbellio London & West
16/12/202348hrAbellio London & West
24/12/202224hrAbellio London & West
27/12/202224hrAbellio London & West
31/12/202224hrAbellio London & West
04/01/202348hrAbellio London & West
10/01/202324hrAbellio London & West
12/01/202324hrAbellio London & West
16/01/202324hrAbellio London & West
19/01/202324hrAbellio London & West
25/01/202324hrAbellio London & West
01/02/202372hrAbellio London & West
10/11/202324hrLondon Transit
13/11/202324hrLondon Transit
01/12/202324hrLondon Transit
04/12/202324hrLondon Transit
21/12/202372hrsLondon Transit

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

Yours sincerely

Gemma Jacob
Senior FOI Case Officer
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London

[email protected]

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