London Tube station and bus strikes cause headaches for commuters
Several bus routes and major Tube stations are disrupted on Friday morning as strike action by RMT and Unite union members causes headaches for Londoners.
Stations between Northfields and Heathrow Airport on the Piccadilly Line may be affected at short notice and disrupted before 7 am and after 11 pm, Transport for London (TfL) said.
Tube stations at Heathrow Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5 are likely to be affected throughout the day. Passengers travelling to or from Heathrow are being advised to use the Elizabeth Line.
Euston, King’s Cross, Victoria and Green Park Tube stations may open later and close earlier at short notice, TfL said. Hatton Cross and Hounslow West Tube stations are also likely to be affected.
There are minor delays on the Hammersmith & City Line due to train cancellations.
TfL warns Tube stations affected by the strikes may open later than usual on Saturday.
Meanwhile planned strikes on the Abellio bus services are taking place, with south and west London routes affected.
The following day routes are disrupted: 3, 27, 45, 63, 68, 109, 130, 156, 195, 196, 201, 207, 267, 270, 278, 315, 322, 350, 367, 381, 407, 415, 427, 433, 464, 482, 490, 969, C10, E5, E7, E10, E11, H20, H25, H28, H26, P5, P13, R68, R70, S4, U5, U7, U9 and 481.
Night and 24-hour bus routes will also be affected, including 24, 111, 159, 285, 344, 345 and N3, N27, N63, N68, N109, N207, and N381. The 671 school route is also affected.
Bus strikes are continuing on Saturday, as well as on December 1, 2, 3 and 9, 10, 16 and 17. On the days after strikes, a good service will be running by around 6 am, TfL said.
More than 950 bus drivers employed by Abellio are striking for 10 days in a pay dispute. Unite union said the dispute is a result of the company “failing to enter into meaningful pay talks”.
The bus drivers, who are members of Unite, are based at garages in Battersea, Beddington, Hayes, Southall, Twickenham and Walworth.
RMT members are striking over new rosters that are expected to cut the number of staff available to work at Tube stations by hundreds, according to the union, including at King’s Cross station.
The union claims cuts to station staff reduce the Underground’s ability to assist with evacuations in the event of a fire.
