Wednesday 5 February: 17:00 Travel Update - 86 per cent of regular Oyster customers travelled in London today
Nearly nine in 10 (86 per cent) regular Oyster customers had travelled on Tube, rail, bus, DLR and London Overground services in the capital by early evening, despite the unnecessary strike action called by the leaderships of the RMT and TSSA unions, TfL said today.
London Underground (LU) has operated over a third (35 per cent) of services, with around 70 per cent of Tube stations open.
A service on the Bakerloo line from Queen's Park to Elephant & Castle was introduced for this evening's peak.
Alongside the range of other transport options and hundreds of TfL Ambassadors and volunteers, TfL said the figures showed that the vast majority of Londoners are getting around the capital and it was keeping London moving and open for business.
The strikes have been called by the leadership of the RMT and TSSA unions over LU's plans to modernise and improve customer service.
LU Managing Director, Mike Brown has made the following commitments to Londoners:
All stations will remain staffed and controlled at all times, with more staff visible to help customers
- We'll introduce a new 24-hour service at weekends from 2015
- We'll provide more frequent and reliable services with better, more accessible stations
- We'll introduce simpler ticketing - such as contactless credit, debit and charge card payment
- We'll provide the best possible value for the fare you pay
Mike Brown said today:
`Many thousands of LU and TfL staff are working hard to keep customers informed and to keep London moving and open for business today.
`I am grateful to everyone who has offered their support today and to our customers for their patience.
`Nearly nine in ten Oyster customers have travelled and we're running over a third of normal Tube services, serving around 70 per cent of stations.
`My message to the leadership of the RMT and TSSA is that they should do the right thing, call off this completely unnecessary strike and work with us to help shape the future of the Tube.
`Our plans will see all Tube stations will remain staffed and controlled at all times when services are operating, and we'll be introducing a 24-hour service at weekends during 2015.
`In future, there will be more staff in ticket halls and on platforms to help customers buy the right ticket, plan their journeys and to keep them safe and secure.
`We're committed to implement these changes without compulsory redundancies and there'll be a job for everyone at LU who wants to work for us and be flexible.'
Latest Travel advice to customers (16:00):
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.
Visits to the Live Travel Information pages of the TfL website was eight times busier than normal this morning, as customers heeded the advice to plan ahead.
London Underground
Services are currently operating as follows:
|
Bakerloo line
@bakerlooline |
Trains are now running:
These trains are not stopping at Edgware Road, Embankment, Kilburn Park, Lambeth North, Maida Vale, Piccadilly Circus or Regent's Park stations. |
| Central line @centralline |
No service is operating through the central area. Trains are currently running:
Epping to Leytonstone every ten minutes in both directions |
| District line @districtline |
Trains are running as follows: between Upminster and Wimbledon around every six minutes in both directions between Ealing Broadway and High Street Kensington around every 10 minutes in both directions. These trains are not stopping at Fulham Broadway, Sloane Square, Temple, Blackfriars, Aldgate East, Stepney Green, Gloucester Road. |
| Hammersmith & City line @hamandcityline |
Trains are currently running between Hammersmith and Moorgate around every ten minutes in both directions.
These trains are not stopping at Ladbroke Grove, Great Portland Street, Barbican. |
| Jubilee line @jubileeline |
Trains are currently running: between Stanmore and Finchley Road around every five minutes in both directions between Waterloo and Stratford around every five minutes in both directions. These trains are not stopping at Canada Water, Bermondsey, Southwark. |
| Metropolitan line @metline |
Trains are running between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Aldgate around every ten minutes in both directions. These trains are not stopping at Great Portland Street or Barbican. |
| Northern line @northernline |
Trains are running over the whole line (except to Mill Hill East), with a train around every four to five minutes via both the Bank and Charing Cross branches in both directions. These trains are not stopping at Tufnell Park, Mornington Crescent, Goodge Street, Angel, Borough, Oval, Clapham North, Clapham South, Warren Street, Leicester Square, Charing Cross |
| Piccadilly line @piccadillyline |
No services are operating through the central area. Trains are running between Acton Town and Heathrow 123 around every 20 minutes in both directions, and between Arnos Grove and Cockfosters around every 12 minutes in both directions. These trains are not stopping at Hounslow West or Southgate stations |
| Victoria line @victorialine |
Trains are running between Seven Sisters and Brixton around every five minutes in both directions.
These trains are not stopping at Vauxhall, Pimlico, Warren Street and Highbury & Islington. It is possible that some other stations may also need to close at times. |
As previously announced, services will not be operating on the Waterloo & City or Circle lines today, but most of their stations are served by other lines.
Other transport services
Good services are operating this morning on the bus network, Docklands Light Railway (DLR), London Overground and London Tramlink.
Extra bus services have been provided, alongside enhanced river and coach services and marshalled taxi ranks at key London national rail termini.
The Barclays Cycle Hire scheme has proved particularly popular, with a 70 per cent increase in the number of hires this morning compared to the weekday average.
Over the course of the day, hires are up by around 50 per cent, with over 14,000 hires in total by evening.
Further Information on alternative travel options:
DLR
- A normal service is operating. Some stations where there is an interchange with London Underground may be affected today.
Buses
- London buses operate around 700 routes and services are being boosted with 175 extra buses on key routes - more than planned;
- TfL Ambassadors and volunteers are being deployed to bus stations and hubs to provide customers with travel information and advice on the ground.
London Overground
- A normal service is operating. Some stations where there is an interchange with London Underground may be affected, and services may be subject to alterations to minimise overcrowding and move people as effectively as possible
Tramlink
- A normal service is operating.
Cycling
- Barclays Cycle Hire will be available to members and casual users, although demand is likely to be high, and cycles harder to access, during peak times;
- Londoners who own a bike are encouraged to cycle to work, and a Cycle Journey Planner is provided at tfl.gov.uk/cyclejourneyplanner;
- TfL is writing to hundreds of businesses across London to ask them to be flexible and make it easy for staff to cycle to work, and to allow staff to wear casual clothes on the day.
River Services
- Enhanced River services are in place, including on Route RB1 between Greenland (Surrey Quays) / Canary Wharf and London Bridge; and;
- An additional centre London service (Tower/ Bankside / Westminster / London Eye) during the AM and PM peaks;
- In combination with the normal timetabled service, this will provide a 10 to 15 minute frequency on most central London piers during the morning and evening peaks.
Taxis & Private Hire
- Between 7.00am and 11.00am on Wednesday 5 February, Thursday 6, Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13 February, a marshalled taxi service will operate at seven major London rail termini - Waterloo, Liverpool St, London Bridge, King's Cross, Victoria, Charing Cross, and Marylebone. The marshals will manage taxi and passenger queues and provide advice and assistance to taxi passengers and other members of the public;
- Between 7.00pm and Midnight on Tuesday 4 February and Tuesday 11 February, a marshalled taxi service will operate at the same seven stations, plus Euston;
- Private hire and minicab services will be running as normal. Details for licensed private hire and minicab operators in London are available at tfl.gov.uk/cabwise
National Rail
- Oyster Pay As You Go is accepted for all National Rail journeys within Greater London;
- Travelcards are also valid for travel on National Rail within the zones purchased.
Walking
- Walking maps will be provided online, in bus, rail, and Tube stations in Zone 1 and other key outer London stations, with TfL Ambassadors and volunteers helping people plan their routes around the city;
- People are urged to consider walking for short journeys, where possible.
Roads and the Congestion Charge
- To help keep traffic flowing, the Congestion Charge will remain in operation throughout the strike;
- TfL will be delaying or curtailing road works on major London roads wherever possible and has encouraged all London boroughs to take similar measures on their network. TfL will also work with the Metropolitan Police to minimise the impact of congestion;
- TfL will be working to keep traffic flowing around major transport hubs;
- Londoners and commuters are encouraged to keep journeys by car to a minimum to enable public transport to move freely.
Coaches
Several coach operators, including National Express and Green Line, offer services that stop in a number of locations throughout London. Some of the core coach routes are as follows:
Golders Green - Finchley Road - Baker Street - Marble Arch - Victoria Coach Station (National Express)
Brent Cross - Finchley Road - Baker Street - Marble Arch - Victoria (Green Line)
Hillingdon - Shepherd's Bush/Baker Street - Marble Arch - Victoria (Oxford Tube & X90)
Hammersmith - Kensington - Hyde park Corner - Victoria (Green Line)
Stratford - Bow - Aldgate - Victoria Coach Station (National Express)
Bexley - Canary Wharf - Aldgate - Embankment - Victoria Street (Commuter Services)
Coulsdon - Wallington - Streatham - Stockwell - Victoria Coach Station (National Express)
Sutton - Wallington - Streatham - Stockwell - Victoria Coach Station (National Express)
Eltham - Lewisham - Walworth - Elephant & Castle - Victoria Coach Station (National Express)
Tickets can be purchased in advance from the Victoria Coach Station ticket hall, or on the operators websites:
http://www.nationalexpress.com for main site and bookings.
http://coach.nationalexpress.com/nxbooking/stop-finder to find where the coach stops are in London
http://www.greenline.co.uk for main site and bookings
http://www.greenline.co.uk/timetables-search/ for location of stops in London
www.oxfordtube.com
http://x90.oxfordbus.co.uk