The RMT strike has brought London’s public transport to a grinding halt since Sunday, 7 September, and is set to end on Thursday, 11 September. However, certain routes and lines will still be affected into the early hours of Friday morning as service returns to the TfL Underground network.
On Thursday, 11 September, there is limited service on the Tube as well as the DLR. The Central, Northern and District lines were partly running on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday according to the Guardian. The Elizabeth Line, London Overground and tram network are still operational but extremely busy and unable to stop at certain stations shared with the Tube network.
The DLR has seen disrupted services on 9 September and 11 September due to strikes in a separate dispute. On Friday, 12 September, the DLR and Elizabeth line are expected to have normal service but there will still be no service on the Tube until 8am.
While some disruptions are expected as the service returns, the TfL predicts that all lines will return to normal by late morning on Friday, 12 September. However, as the Tube strike comes to a close, strikes are planned to begin on bus services operated by First Bus.
If these go ahead, it will affect services in west, northwest and southwest London from 5am on Friday, 12 September until 5am on Monday, 15 September. The RMT walkout disrupting the Tube lines this week was due to a dispute over pay and conditions, including a reported demand for a 32-hour working week according to the Telegraph.
The union alleged management had failed to properly engage with their concerns. It also highlighted worries over wages, fatigue management and gruelling shift patterns affecting its members.
It stated: “Management’s dismissive approach has fuelled widespread anger and distrust among the workforce, who voted in overwhelming numbers to take strike action.” During the industrial action, commuters have resorted to buses, bicycles, walking and even Thames boats to reach their destinations.
This has consequently caused some traffic jams on London’s roads, but it’s businesses that are thought to be bearing the brunt of this walkout. The Centre for Economics and Business Research forecast the strike would deliver a £230million hit to the London economy in analysis conducted for The Standard.
It calculated approximately 700,000 working days would be lost as it impacted the three million passengers the Underground typically carries daily. Nevertheless, the think tank anticipates this figure to be millions higher owing to knock-on effects from the strike.
For instance, shops, pubs and eateries experiencing a marked drop in footfall. No discussions have apparently occurred during the strike to settle the row as of Wednesday.
TfL commented on the strikes, stating: “Since the ballot was undertaken, London Underground has offered a 3.4pc pay increase in the ongoing pay discussions. Members of the RMT at London Underground have not had a say on the final pay offer, with the 3.4pc pay increase a figure in line with offers accepted by RMT in recent pay discussions across the rail industry.”
Claire Mann, TfL’s chief operating officer, expressed her disappointment, saying: “We are disappointed that the RMT union has announced strike action. We regularly meet with our trade unions to discuss any concerns that they may have, and we recently met with the RMT to discuss some specific points ..
“We welcome further engagement with our unions about fatigue and rostering across London Underground, but a reduction in the contractual 35-hour working week is neither practical nor affordable.”