Industrial Action: 13:30 Travel Update

09 July 2015
Resilient Londoners and transport staff keep London working through the Tube strike
"We thank Londoners for their patience today as we work hard to help them make their journeys. It's been very busy today, particularly on the bus and road networks, although many people are travelling outside peak hours and walking and cycling. Our staff are working hard to help by providing maps, travel advice and other information"
Steve Griffiths
Chief Operating Officer, London Underground
  • Transport network performed well during morning peak with extra bus and river services running to help people get around
  • TfL ready for meaningful talks at ACAS to resolve the dispute
  • No Tube services running today - services will resume tomorrow morning
  • Customers are advised to travel outside the evening peak if possible, allow more time for journeys and to check before they travel at www.tfl.gov.uk/tube-strike and by following @TfLTravelAlerts, @TfLTrafficNews and @TfLBusAlerts on Twitter

Transport for London (TfL) customers beat the Tube strike this morning with help from transport workers across the bus network, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail, Trams, river services, Emirates Air Line and Santander Cycles. No Tube services are running today as a result of union strike action. Tube services will resume tomorrow with a full service, but customers are advised to check before they travel.

As expected, bus services were very busy this morning, particularly around mainline rail stations, but the bus network performed well. Extra bus and river services ran to help people get around. Commuters took advantage of the good weather, taking to Santander Cycles in around double their usual numbers and walking part or all of their journey to work. Some parts of the rail network were much busier than usual. On the roads there was heavy traffic, with high levels of demand beginning earlier than normal on the main routes into London.

This evening TfL expect buses, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail, Trams, river services, Emirates Air Line, Santander Cycles and main roads to all be busy again as people head home. The evening peak is likely to start earlier than usual as customers travel home at different times to normal. National rail services will run as normal, and are likely to be busier than usual.

LU has tried everything possible to engage the unions over the last five months to try to reach an agreement on pay and the introduction of the Night Tube 24-hour Underground services at weekends from September. The process has been hampered by the unions frequently walking out of negotiations or refusing to turn up. LU received no response to the fair and competitive pay offer made last Monday.

LU has also made clear that in running services overnight:

  • No one is being asked to work more hours;
  • Most staff will not be affected at all by the Night Tube;
  • For the majority of those who are affected, the night service will mean a few extra nights per year within existing contracts;
  • A realistic and substantial pay rise is being offered this year and for the next 2 years, with additional payment for overnight working, on top of an already fair pay package.

Steve Griffiths, London Underground's Chief Operating Officer, said:

'We thank Londoners for their patience today as we work hard to help them make their journeys. It's been very busy today, particularly on the bus and road networks, although many people are travelling outside peak hours and walking and cycling. Our staff are working hard to help by providing maps, travel advice and other information.

'We are, as we always have been, ready to talk at any time to sort out this dispute. We have made a very fair and reasonable offer to our staff, but the unions have so far refused to respond or put it to their members. The offer remains on the table and we are ready for talks. We have today contacted ACAS and asked them to assist us in getting back around the table. If the unions are serious about resolving this, we trust they will be ready to engage in meaningful talks to deliver Night Tube for London.'

Latest Travel advice to customers (13:30):

Tube
There are no Tube services for the rest of the day. All other public transport services and roads will be much busier than usual.

Staff on the DLR, London Overground, the bus network, tram and TfL Rail services are not on strike. These services are running as normal, but they will be much busier than usual and customers are strongly advised to, if possible, travel outside of the morning and evening peaks on Thursday.

TfL Ambassadors and volunteers are also on hand to provide customers with travel information and advice on the ground. TfL urges all customers to plan ahead and to check before they travel at www.tfl.gov.uk/tube-strike and by following @TfLTravelAlerts, @TfLTrafficNews and @TfLBusAlerts on Twitter.

Wimbledon travel advice

  • Wimbledon is accessible by bus and National Rail services to Wimbledon mainline station;
  • Detailed travel advice for spectators travelling to and from Wimbledon is available at www.tfl.gov.uk/tube-strike and at wimbledon.com. TfL is working with the event organisers and the bus operator Go Ahead to ensure more bus services are on hand locally to get people to and from the events.

First Great Western

  • There are no First Great Western services between Paddington and Greenford due to a separate 48-hour strike.

Chiltern

  • Chiltern Railways services are now running as normal

National Rail

  • National Rail routes are largely operating as normal but services are expected to be much busier than usual, so please check before you travel.

DLR

  • A normal service is operating but trains will be much busier than usual. Some stations where there is an interchange with London Underground may be affected.

London Overground

  • A normal service is operating but trains will be much busier than usual. Some stations where there is an interchange with London Underground may be affected.

Tramlink

  • A normal service is operating.

TfL Rail

  • A normal service is operating but trains will be much busier than usual. Some stations where there is an interchange with London Underground may be affected;
  • TfL is working with Network Rail and the train operators to ensure that customers have the latest information on how best to get around.

Buses

  • Services are being boosted with around 200 extra buses on key routes but will be much busier than usual;
  • TfL Ambassadors and volunteers are being deployed to bus stations and hubs to provide customers with travel information and advice on the ground.

Coaches

  • Coaches will run more regularly on some London routes on the day of the strike;
  • 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);
  • Sutton - Streatham - Stockwell - Victoria Coach Station (National Express);
  • Eltham - Lewisham - Walworth - Elephant & Castle - Victoria Coach Station (National Express);
  • There will also be an hourly service to Heathrow Central Bus Station and Terminals 4 and 5.
  • For up to date information on coach services go to http://coachtracker.nationalexpress.com/;
  • Tickets can be purchased in advance from the Victoria Coach Station ticket hall, or on the operator's websites.

Emirates Air Line

  • A normal service is operating. LU tickets will be accepted on Emirates Air Line services.

Cycling

  • Santander Cycles are available to members and casual users, although demand is likely to be high, and cycles harder to access, during peak times. Additional hubs will be in place at key locations during morning and evening peak and additional distribution teams will be making as many bikes available as possible. The Santander Cycles App provides up to the minute information on the nearest docking station and bike availability;
  • Londoners who own a bike are encouraged to cycle to work.

River Services

  • TfL is operating extra river services on Thursday 9 July between central London and Canary Wharf, and central London and Putney.

Taxis & Private Hire

  • During peak times a marshalled taxi service will operate at major London rail stations. The marshals will manage taxi and passenger queues and provide advice and assistance to taxi passengers and other members of the public;
  • Private hire and minicab services will be running as normal. Details for licensed private hire and minicab operators in London are available at www.tfl.gov.uk/cabwise.

Walking

  • Walking maps are available online and at transport hubs in central London, with TfL Ambassadors and volunteers helping people plan their routes around the city;
  • People are urged to walk 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;
  • For up to date information follow @TfLTrafficNews.

Notes to Editors:

  • The Night Tube is part of LU's work to modernise the service offered to customers.
  • It is widely supported by Londoners and businesses and will transform night time journeys across London.
  • Journey times will be cut by an average of 20 minutes, with some cut by more than an hour.
  • London's night-time economy will be opened up to a host of new opportunities, with the Night Tube supporting around 2,000 permanent jobs and boosting the economy by £360 million.