TfL advises Londoners to check before they travel next week with RMT and ASLEF strike action taking place

22 July 2022
Strike action is taking place on national rail services and will impact London Overground and Elizabeth line services as well as some of the London Underground

Transport for London (TfL) is advising customers that while they will still be able to travel during planned national rail industrial action next week, they should check before they travel. The RMT and ASLEF unions are planning to take industrial action on Wednesday 27 July and Saturday 30 July respectively, which will impact some TfL services. Full information will be available at tfl.gov.uk/rail-strike.

Network Rail is introducing a reduced timetable as a result of the industrial action being carried out by members of the RMT who work for Network Rail. 

While the industrial action doesn't involve TfL staff, varying degrees of disruption are expected on the District and Bakerloo lines, London Overground, and the Elizabeth line, which all share some sections of track with Network Rail. The majority of TfL's other services will run on Wednesday as usual.

Passengers should also expect some disruption on the morning of Thursday 28 July with a later start to services as signalling staff return to work.

On Saturday 30 July, ASLEF strike action at eight train operators across the country will significantly disrupt some routes. This includes the London Overground network, where there will be no service due to strike action from members of the ASLEF union who work for Arriva Rail London. There will also be no Night Overground services on the evening of 30 July and the early hours of 31 July. Reduced timetables will be in place across the Elizabeth line. Customers who use London Overground and Elizabeth line services should use alternative routes to complete their journeys, with all other TfL services expected to operate normally.

Additionally, there will be no Elizabeth line services between Paddington and Abbey Wood on Saturday 30 July and Sunday 31 July due to planned engineering works to undertake required software upgrades to trains and signalling. These software upgrades were planned months ago and will ensure the delivery of through-services from Reading, Heathrow, and Shenfield directly into central London later this year.

All other TfL modes of transport will run as normal but are expected to be much busier than normal as customers seek alternative routes.

Customers travelling on the morning of Sunday 31 July are advised a good service is expected on the London Overground by midday. If travelling before midday, customers are advised to plan ahead, check before they travel, and leave more time for their journey.

Andy Lord, TfL's Chief Operating Officer, said: "The upcoming strike action will mean disruption for some of our customers, with the London Overground, Elizabeth line, and London Underground services being affected. I encourage customers to check before they travel as the levels of service will vary on different modes of transport and different days. Alternative travel, including buses and other Tube lines, is likely to be much busier than usual."

For the latest information on how TfL services are operating, customers should use TfL's real-time travel tools, including status updates, Journey Planner and TfL Go. People may find it quicker or easier to walk or cycle some journeys. The TfL website has information on cycling in London including Santander Cycle Hire bikes, cycleway routes and walking options especially for journeys in Zone 1. Rental e-scooters are available for hire in a number of London boroughs. Information on where they are available and how to hire can be found on the TfL website.

For the latest information on national rail strikes and the impacts to mainline services, customers are advised to check nationalrailenquiries.co.uk

Notes to editors

  • More information on the national rail strikes is available here: tfl.gov.uk/rail-strike 
  • There will also be a 24-hour strike by ASLEF members on Greater Anglia this Saturday 23 July
  • The eight operators affected by the ASLEF strike on 30 July are Arriva Rail London (who operate London Overground), Chiltern Railways, Greater Anglia, Great Western, Hull Trains, LNER, Southeastern and West Midlands Trains
  • Further RMT strikes are also planned for Thursday 18 and Saturday 20 August that will affect the national rail network

Network Rail is working on a special limited timetable with rail services starting later and finishing much earlier than usual, and with only about 20 per cent of services operating