Waterloo & City line suspended
The Waterloo & City line has been suspended amid the ongoing strike action.
The line was experiencing severe delays earlier, but has now been entirely halted and it is not yet clear when it will reopen.
It runs between Bank station and Waterloo station only.
ASLEF ‘surprised’ by strike action
Drivers trade union ASLEF said it was “surprised” that RMT had decided to take action this week, given the changes to the working week are voluntary.
A spokesperson told The Standard: “We are surprised that the RMT has decided to take this action.
“The voluntary four-day week gives Tube train drivers an extra 35 days off every year with rosters based on a 34-hour working week in return for some fairly minor changes to working conditions and moving to electronic, rather than paper-based, systems for booking on for duty.
“And, as it is voluntary, anyone who wants to keep working a five-day week will be able to do that.”
Cycle hire increases by 14%
Cycle hire in London was up 14 per cent today as Londoners looked to beat the Tube strikes, figures show.
Good weather also helped those cycling to and from work, with consistent sunshine across the capital and temperatures reaching highs of around 14C.
More sunny weather is expected for the rest of the week, with temperatures forecast to reach 16C tomorrow, 18C on Thursday and 19C on Friday and Saturday.
Tube network runs at half of normal service amid strikes
The Tube network ran at 51 per cent of normal passenger services as of this afternoon, according to City Hall sources.
Services on the Jubilee, Bakerloo, Victoria and Metropolitan & City lines were reportedly better than expected.
The number of Oyster card users was 13 per cent lower than expected levels.
What is the TfL status as of 5pm?
Rush hour begins and commuters are expecting a busy journey home.
The status on the London Underground as of 5pm is as follows:
• Bakerloo line – Service is operating at a reduced frequency between Elephant and Castle and Queen’s Park
• Central line – Severe delays on the entire line. Service is operating at a reduced frequency between White City and Ealing Broadway/ West Ruislip
• District line – Severe delays on the entire line due to strike action
• Victoria line – Severe delays on the entire line due to strike action
• Jubilee line – Severe delays on the entire line due to strike action
• Hammersmith & City line – Severe delays on the entire line. Part suspended between Barking and Liverpool Street
• Waterloo & City line – Severe delays on the entire line due to strike action
• Circle line – No service on the entire line
• Metropolitan line – Part suspended between Baker Street and Aldgate. Severe delays on the entire line.
• Northern line – Running with minor delays
Victoria and Northern line seemingly unscathed by Tube strikes
Good news for commuters getting ready to make their journey home from the office this evening.
The Victoria and Northern line seem to be running fairly normal this afternoon, with only minor delays due to the strike action.
It is expected that lines will get busier during rush hour as commuters look for alternative ways of getting home.
Minor delays impacting the Windrush line
Minor delays are affecting the Windrush line between Sydenham and West Croydon while staff fix a signal failure at Brockley.
This is separate to the ongoing strike action.
Good service on the rest of the line.
What has TfL said about the walkout?
TfL has described RMT’s strike action as “completely unnecessary”, reiterating changes to the working week are voluntary, so drivers can remain on a five-day working week if they want to.
Claire Mann, TfL’s chief operating officer, says the proposals would allow it to “offer train operators an additional day off, whilst at the same time bringing London Underground in line with the working patterns of other train operating companies, improving reliability and flexibility at no additional cost”.
She added: “The changes would be voluntary, there would be no reduction in contractual hours and those who wish to continue a five-day working week pattern would be able to do so.”
What is the latest TfL status?
Disruption has caused issues for commuters on London’s Underground network this afternoon, with delays across most of the lines.
Here’s the latest in as of 3.30pm:
- Circle line – No service on the entire line
- Central line – No service between Liverpool Street and White City, and severe delays on the rest of the line
- Metropolitan line – No service between Baker Street and Aldgate, and minor delays on the rest of the line
- Piccadilly line – No service between Cockfosters and Acton Town westbound only, and severe delays on the rest of the line
- Bakerloo line – Severe delays between Queen’s Park and Harrow & Wealdstone, and minor delays on the rest of the line
- District line – Severe delays on the entire line
- Hammersmith & City line – Severe delays on the entire line
- Jubilee line – Severe delays on the entire line
- Waterloo & City line – Severe delays on the entire line
- Northern line – Minor delays on the entire line
- Victoria line – Minor delays on the entire line
Tube strikes may cost London up to £250million
This week’s Tube strikes may cost between £130million and £250million, economists at the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) predict.
The loss of between 320,000 and 630,000 working days among TfL staff and the broader commuting workforce will have a significant impact on footfall in the capital.
“The uncertainty arises from how the 24-hour walkouts intersect with different shifts and workdays,” a CEBR spokesperson told The Standard.
“This direct cost, however, does not capture the full extent of the impact.
“Beyond the immediate disruption from lost working days, businesses across the capital will face weaker footfall and reduced consumer spending, while the increase in road congestion as commuters seek alternative routes will compound delays and lost output across the city.”
