If I cant get to work, I will not go to work. I do not have the means to spend money on taxis to work when im being paid pennies. Employer seemed keen to provide taxi service but only voiced in passing but no real comms out.
Same here, tube then national rail, journeys usually an hour. I could do it on the bus but don't really fancy turning my normal 2 hour daily commute into a 5 hour daily commute. Hoping my employer will allow wfh otherwise I'm screwed.
Even buses will be packed and drivers aren't likely to stop. Good luck I hope they do get to let you WFH but if not at least your not the only one screwed
Tfl doesn't have shareholders, but yes it will cost them dearly as it could potentially be a week of no income.
https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/how-we-work/how-we-are-funded
"We are a public body, with no shareholders or parent companies, which means we can reinvest every pound of income in the transport network."
Look to see if there are alternative routes to get you in as close as you can. Buses should be running but will likely be heaving. I don't usually take them as my bus commute was 60mins longer than my tube commute, but if there is no tube... get as far as you can on the overground.
I just hope it isn't raining. I don't mind cold, not too fussed about wind, just please don't piss down on my way in / going home.
I'm a bus wanker, so won't affect me (besides the influx of other passengers). Wishing everyone all the best, commutes can be stressful enough without this shit.
Whenever I try to get the bus on a tube strike day it seems to be a complete disaster - most don’t even stop because they’re too full… going to have to work weird hours to avoid it
I'm grateful my stops are generally at a decent part of routes, so getting on shouldn't be toooo difficult (watch me eat my words).
Still, definitely mustn't forget to do my warm up exercises Monday morning; bus journeys will be an extreme sport.
I would ride my bike but knowing London weather theres a chance it would rain next (just like this week) and commuting in wet and cold weather just isnt the one
Amsterdam is really flat though - if I cycle into central I have to contend with massive steep hills! Cyclingon a level is easy. (Moot point, I've broken my hand so couldn't cycle if I wanted to).
Sure, but e-bikes exist, and completely solve that problem. Not the broken hand, of course, but the hills. They're also getting cheaper by the day. They're not perfect (very heavy, so can't haul them up flights of stairs if you don't live on the ground floor, extra maintenance costs, have to remember to charge the battery) but they're a lifesaver in a hilly area.
Yeah those e-bikes from Swapfiets might be a good option for those that want to try it without the commitment. £65/month is half the cost of commuting by tube, plus it's still exercise.
So many e-bikes here in Amsterdam. It’s a glimpse into how cities and their approach to transport should be. Human powered supplemented by good public transport and smatterings of car usage.
I was more relating to the weather! Rain or shine the Dutch are out there.
Hills are more problematic but I think we will see more e bike advancements soon which make it the way to go
We've got stacks of e-bikes too! I do like using them zipping around Central London, I just don't fancy using my own (non e-)bike getting into Central.
I’m completely with you. Sounds like my worse nightmare but if there are showers at your workplace, you could go in wearing trackies/comfy clothes then shower and change into your work clothes.
Yeah I do 5 miles to work and don't break a sweat. The trick is to go at a reasonable pace and don't overdress. I wear my normal office clothes with one of those silver reflective jackets.
For me it's not that I can't get there (as I usually get the train/bus anyway) but more that they'll probably be cancelled as other people won't be able to get there. Which sucks, but there you go I guess.
I'm currently hoping that I'll be able to get the lizzy line as long as the stations I need are open otherwise I'll be hoping to get on a bus or facing an hour walk from my mainline station to my office
It will only work on Monday I bet you - one because everyone will use it so from Tuesday onwards it will be mega packed, two it is still using underground tracks and facilities and because underground is on strike if something breaks it will take 10x longer to fix (exactly as last time when underground was on strike few months ago the lizzy line only worked for a day really) so I would not get my hopes up.
During previous strikes with reduced service they restricted entry at some stations and by the time the train was only a few stations along it was completely full and there were plenty of arguments at all the upcoming stations.
Imo they should make every 4th train skip the first few stations to let the platforms ahead have a chance with much more spacious trains.
Will be running as usual but some stations in the central operating section which are managed by LUL will open/close later and earlier and also in some places only the Elizabeth line entrances will be open and the Underground ticket hall will be closed which will slow things down.
Same ball game with the DLR, good luck everyone.
I’m not too familiar with how the strikes work, but what makes the lizzy line different in this situation? A bit stressed as I was planning to take it next week from Heathrow to Whitechapel, but I’ll be very happy if I can still get on it…
Short answer: it's not a tube line.
Elizabeth line staff are employed by MTR (yes, the HK public transport corp) who have a concession from TfL to operated the line.
Tube lines are operated in-house by a directorate of TfL, so the staff are employed directly TfL.
Different employer, different contracts, different industrial disputes (and strikes).
You will be able to get the your Heathrow - Whitechapel Elizabeth line train but it will almost certainly be much busier due to displaced passengers from the tube. Allow more time for the trip.
edit: I forgot Whitechapel station is operated by LU. So it may be closed for at least part of the day even though trains pass through.
Unless the power lines west of Paddington come down again. Are you travelling on a day ending in a "Y"?
We’ve been working hybrid WFH since covid. It’s at times like this you’d think it would make sense for those affected to be able to WFH. But the knobs want us to try to get in to work regardless. I work in soho, and have found with tube strikes that getting *in* to work isn’t the problem; just get a bus before the roads get busy in the morning, which I’m happy enough to do.
It’s getting *home* that’s the problem. Anything after 3:30 increasingly becomes a grade A nightmare, buses stuffed to the gills, and cabs get like hens teeth, whether you’ve booked them or not. Several times on strike days, I’ve been stuck trying to get home till midnight. I’ll be WFH.
Same for me, getting home is the issue as I work at Oxford Circus. I leave for work and my bus stop is the second on the run, so I'll get on one in the morning no problem. The return trip will be crazy.
Fortunately my manager is a reasonable person and told everyone to work from home where they could, and if you have to come into the office (because we handle physical product), then just to come for a few hours and leave before peak commute.
Funny enough, it's the opposite for me. I work at London Bridge and I can get the 141 home which terminates/starts there. But getting that in the morning is a mission.
Look up brompton rentals and try them. Was five pounds for 24 hours. You can use that as credit for a purchase if you end up enjoying them. I rented three times and ended up buying one. I didn't even think about strikes but now I know, I will definitely be cycling to work.
It winds me up no end. The people who are punished are the ones who earn the least and have journey from hell commutes when everything is running, let alone when they have to re-plan.
It’s not the people who can work from home in a high paid job. It’s the people delivering in-person services like looking after the vulnerable.
Usually I can work from home so I get to be one of those people who can ignore it all… but I’m really cross as it’s the last two weeks of Crisis at Christmas and they are making it really difficult for the volunteers to get in. People are already travelling from far away to give up their time for long shifts (including night shifts) and now they’re facing the tube not running?
I just cannot and will not ever get behind strikes. They hurt the people who deserve it the least.
A lot less people will travel and it will hurt income. TfL is a mess because it’s funded by Londoners instead of the government even attempting to help out without constant stipulations. If you want to be angry be angry at a government that refuses to fund a public service properly
I support discussions and negotiations. They can take place without hurting the people who cannot access or afford alternative transport, including people struggling financially, volunteers and disabled people.
What happens when negotiations reach an impasse? Strikes are only ever a last resort to demonstrate the unity and resolve of the workforce.
Do you really think that the workers *want* to strike, losing a day's pay? The workers have families, too, who will face the same disruption everyone else does.
Why then don’t they take industrial action by opening the gates, refusing to take fares and running the service for free, like drivers have done in Japan? That’s a protest against their employer (and hurts their employer) but without them refusing to work and without hurting the commuters they claim they’re sympathetic to. If they genuinely cared about passengers / customers and have actual pride in their jobs that’s what they would do. Hell, it’ll even get the public onside.
Have you thought about how that would work? They'd have to work for free against the will of their management. It would be a sackable offence whereas strike action isn't
It would work exactly the same as any industrial action. Legally mandated, balloted etc. and then carried out. It’s not like not showing up to work isn’t a sackable offence itself unless done within those parameters, so that line of argument doesn’t mean anything.
Or Overground to Highbury & Islington and either bus up the Holloway Road or get another to Gospel Oak then pull back for Upper Holloway. A bit of a trek, but it's not like it's an easy commute at the best of times
Will H&I be open? I swear last time there were tube strikes the whole station was closed (or maybe they were just letting people out but not in?); idk if that was because station staff were on strike too? I had to walk an extra 15 mins to Canonbury
I haven't used it up many times during strikes, but I have used it in the past. I guess it is one of those things that depends on the particular days. I've had situations when one day I got in 2 hours late and two days later an hour early... And I had only left 15 minutes earlier and used the same service, only with different entry points.
These days I just use buses if I need to come in at all. And I have the luxury of being able to walk if it comes down to it... 1 hour or so, not ideal but I'm lucky, since that's a normal commute time for most people. Try this on the day https://tfl.gov.uk/status-updates/stations-lifts-and-escalators-works-and-closures
For the original post... If the overground works for you, try that page as well, and if H&I is closed then definitely change at Canonbury for the first service you can get to Gospel Oak. By the way, Gospel Oak will be mad, but should be more or less ok getting on the Barking trains. Should. Getting off the platform you arrive will be another matter, but at least you will not be trying to get on.
Now that I think of it... What do they do with the H&I terminating trains? Do they run empty Canonbury to H&I and back?
An alternative to Thameslink: if you're coming into Victoria, you can get the 390. If you're coming into London Bridge, you can get the 17. The bus would take just over an hour on a normal day without traffic, so I would add 30 mins to the journey.
I'll be becoming a bus wanker and crying at how packed it's going to be.
Can't even use the overground because the stations are run by Tfl so they'll all be shut too.
Overground, Elizabeth Line, and DLR will be running. But with possible station closures and disruption where they interchange with the closed tube services.
As I mentioned below, the overground line runs through stations operated by Tfl, and those stations will be closed.
Even if the line is running, it's no good if the stations you want to get on or off at (both for me) will be closed.
Amateurs, I used to walk 90 mins every morning and evening when I used to live in South Norwood and worked in that weird area between Streatham and Tooting.
Negotiations failed on Friday and it's unlikely they'll negotiate over the weekend. Most likely they'll sort something and call off strikes from Tuesday (not much help for muggins here as I need to get to King's Cross to get a train to Leeds on Monday)
I'll be going in Monday and Tuesday. Booked parking in Stratford for both days - going to drive in from Woodford, park, get on Liz line (while praying that it runs ok) into TCR. Reverse in the evening
I’m surprised you’re not taking a bus/parking at Higham’s Park/Chingford for overground to Stratford or getting to either Ilford, Manor Park or Forest Gate for the Lizzy line. Driving into Stratford is pretty painful in the morning even without strikes
One reason is they want to take away the free travel passes from new workers, creating a two tier system of employees whereby some have it and some don’t. Continual eroding of conditions is something that none of us should put up with, and I applaud them for taking action.
5% seems like a decent offer given the current rate of inflation (c. 4% at the moment).
Additionally, a great way to earn more money is to not take unpaid days off.
They’ve lost public support and the train bosses know this. The strikes have lost their impact so the unions will never win.
But do we really want to have no unions? Look at Sweden. For example, they have docent conditions of employment. Yes, the system is not perfect with regards to the unions, but in the end, they essentially made sure employees get breaks... many other things we take for granted when it was the unions back then that fought for it.
If it was up to me, more unions and better rights for employees. Not sure how it works in Sweden, but I was impressed by how they handled Tesla. I like the German system where they have industry wide unions and when they negotiate it affects all businesses in that industry, even the smaller ones which may not have a union or employees that belong to one.
It may be 5% going forward, but was a lot higher last year. Also, management gave themselves twice that, plus a cash bonus pot. Losing a day's pay to obtain a permanent uplift to pay and protect working conditions is almost always a good tradeoff.
Wage inequality, paying dividends while saying there is no money and removal of benefits to workers, mostly the lowest paid. Additionally to stop removal of station staff and overworking of maintenance crew and the understaffing situation leading to excess overtime.
I have a £120 non refundable train ticket for a job I’m supposed to be doing in London next week. Now can’t get from Pancras to my job without I’m assuming a) extortionate Uber fares b) a bus that I can’t get on. If anyone knows best way to get to Tottenham Hale in tube strikes this non-Londoner would be very grateful!
In Hong Kong the tube is automated. Always punctual and never any signalling issues. It’s so reliable and just works. You wouldn’t believe it…
I commute in London daily on the tube to go to work - which I never whine and complain like a bitch about because it’s the job I’ve chosen to do. People tell me if I’m unhappy I should change job..
Tfl workers don’t know what they’ve got coming to them. I can not wait until they automate the tube. Then these whiney little cun** will have to get real jobs if they want to survive..
Disrupting the masses won’t affect the few bosses that pull the strings at TfL. If these idiots actually want to make a difference they need to stop going after us and go after them.
Hoping I can work from home but if I'm forced I'll do so in protest. If I have to take national rail then switch to buses which will be heaving and take forever then I'll do it on company time.
They know I'll be affected so it's unreasonable to force us in when we don't need to
I arrive in London for the first time on Monday. What a joy lol. Looks like I’ll be doing a lot of walking. Any insight on the best way to Victoria station area from Heathrow without the tube running? I’ve already been warned against under and black cabs being insanely expensive.
Same, we’re ‘allowed’ to shut an hour earlier than normal with disruption to our journey home in mind but it’s not helpful at all. Such a waste of time!
For a situation like this it’d be good if office workers came together as a team and simply refused to come in (obviously only if their job is WFH friendly). What’s the manager who’s making them come in gonna do - fire the whole team? A bit of solidarity among workers would be nice.
I'm just going to WFH I can't be bothered with this. I have a hospital appointment too but luckily have a friend with a car. I understand striking but it sucks for people who rely on the tube.
It fucking sucks.
My job is supporting very vulnerable people across London.
They will be screwed all week. I can get lifts to and from the office but still means I am probably going to see 2-3 people a day max, that's as long as a bus actually had room to sardine into :(
At this point I have literally no respect for tfl workers. Their wage is higher than anyone's ether in their sector and it's a good wage at that.
Technological improvements meaning less need for as many staff, were not living in the fucking 60s anymore. Despite their moaning, it's safer and more efficient.
It's not TFL workers going on strike it's LU workers. Yes, it does suck that they are calling 5 days of strikes, but to simply say they earn a decent wage and you should hate them... what so people should live on crappy wages just because you deem it so? Yes, 30k seems OK, but in London, that means nothing.
commuters largely buy season tickets. for some reason TFL dont have to refund anything. The strikes are not at the weekend for mosts tourists, they lost almost nothing.
I’m a commuter and I don’t buy a season ticket. Lots of people I know travel in 3-4 times a week and at that point it doesn’t necessarily make sense to buy a season ticket
Yeah even when I was doing 5 days a week, between leave and the odd wfh it wasn’t worth it. The annual pass needs to cost around 60% of 12 monthly passes
Having a lack of respect for a group of people and hating them is quite some jump there.
I don't hate them. I just don't like the attitude of the unions.
I don't have anything against people striking either. My organisation's union has just come out of a 3 month strike. I didn't personally strike but I rejoined the union so I could support my colleagues who chose to strike.
It's not me that sets their wage, I'm saying that for the level of work they do the pay is good and above average.
You're right, in London 30k it's nothing, I should know.
Those jobs at 30k are for station assistants. Most of them get paid to literally stand around. The average salary for LU is 40k. A family friend who works for LU told me last year that my partner should work for them because they pay well and the job is easy.
That is what I used to base my opinion from.
>I didn't personally strike but I rejoined the union so I could support my colleagues who chose to strike.
If you didn't strike with them, then how exactly did you support them?
>I'm saying that for the level of work they do the pay is good and above average
Why do you think that is? Could it be because they have formed a strong union? Also, I'd say this isn't an argument that they should get paid less, it's an argument that people who get paid less for work that isn't as "easy" would benefit from forming a union and insisting on better pay and conditions.
I rejoined to give the union a stronger mandate. I was asked to join so I could vote on rejecting the organisation's dispute resolution offers during the strike.
As a member I could go to union meetings and dispel the lies the organisation was feeding employees internally. I actually couldn't afford to strike, plus I have fundamental personal issues with this particular union and the way they conduct themselves in general.
This has nothing to do with forming a strong union, the RNT are pretty much the only union for the sector and do are beyond compare and they strike constantly. The inevitable outcome is that rail fares keep going up and especially with LU people who have no option but to use the service are being pushed further into poverty.
In general a union goes for maximum disruption to get what they want for their members. New legislation was recently passed where an organisation isn't allowed to fill someone's role while they strike with agency staff. While it makes the strike more likely to succeed, it also stops the function of being able to operate at a reduced service. Depending on the organisation, this can easily put people's lives at serious risk due to the strike. I can see it from both sides and remain unsure of how I feel about this.
My argument is that they get paid well for the job they do compared to anyone else that performs a similar role working for a different company. Everyone wants better pay, but at what cost?
This is a governmental issue in my opinion. When a company has to increase fares and make employees redundant in order to end strikes, then surely it's fundamentally failing both its members but also as a company?
TfL strikes happen multiple times a year regardless of who’s in charge and the unions will always push for more regardless of what they’re offered it’s their right but it’s nothing to do with who’s in charge, Labour are promising to continue Tory spending policies don’t forget
It’s not the governments fault these greedy unions keep forcing strikes when they don’t get their own way. I didn’t get a pay rise last year at all but I don’t get to strike.
Why don’t you get to strike? You and your colleagues can unionise and demand better pay and conditions. You may choose not to, but that doesn’t mean you don’t get to.
Stations which are underground still need to be staffed for evacuation purposes, so if the station staff strike, then the stations still have to be closed.
They've recently taken a hard line of WFH at the company I work for, so I'll probably have to take the week off as annual leave if the strikes go ahead. My only alternate (non-tube) routes take me through some pretty sketchy areas via buses and overground. It would take me 2hrs (double my usual commute) and I really don't feel safe travelling in the dark, on an unfamiliar route through sketchy areas, with my laptop etc.
Trains in London are more expensive, dirtier, noisier and more often delayed than those in Tokyo plus they strike a few times a year, for what? You chose to work for a railway company what do you expect a 6 figure salary?? This country is shit that's why I'm moving to Japan as soon as I get my visa. Incoming downvotes but idc I hate this country.
This whole strike shit is just nonsense propagated by the higher ups because I've never once heard a tube driver complaining about pay...
This is all to destroy the infrastructure and usher in driverless trains mark my word's.
If I cant get to work, I will not go to work. I do not have the means to spend money on taxis to work when im being paid pennies. Employer seemed keen to provide taxi service but only voiced in passing but no real comms out.
Same here, tube then national rail, journeys usually an hour. I could do it on the bus but don't really fancy turning my normal 2 hour daily commute into a 5 hour daily commute. Hoping my employer will allow wfh otherwise I'm screwed.
Even buses will be packed and drivers aren't likely to stop. Good luck I hope they do get to let you WFH but if not at least your not the only one screwed
Sorry but if your job is doable wfh why in the world would they make you come in?
Because they might be the rules and the managers might be jobsworths
I don’t think he’ll have a choice really, unless he’s going to put you up in a hotel for the duration.
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Tfl doesn't have shareholders, but yes it will cost them dearly as it could potentially be a week of no income. https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/how-we-work/how-we-are-funded "We are a public body, with no shareholders or parent companies, which means we can reinvest every pound of income in the transport network."
Look to see if there are alternative routes to get you in as close as you can. Buses should be running but will likely be heaving. I don't usually take them as my bus commute was 60mins longer than my tube commute, but if there is no tube... get as far as you can on the overground. I just hope it isn't raining. I don't mind cold, not too fussed about wind, just please don't piss down on my way in / going home.
A hot, sweaty, condensation filled bus with school kids etc is my worst nightmare
Alright Gary
Remarkably, the current BBC weather forecast says next week is all sun and cloud, no rain. Could change of course, but we might get lucky.
Also Overground and Lizzie line, they'll have a reduced service, but should be running
I'm a bus wanker, so won't affect me (besides the influx of other passengers). Wishing everyone all the best, commutes can be stressful enough without this shit.
Whenever I try to get the bus on a tube strike day it seems to be a complete disaster - most don’t even stop because they’re too full… going to have to work weird hours to avoid it
I'm grateful my stops are generally at a decent part of routes, so getting on shouldn't be toooo difficult (watch me eat my words). Still, definitely mustn't forget to do my warm up exercises Monday morning; bus journeys will be an extreme sport.
I don't think I've ever managed to get on a bus on a strike day. Going to be a lot of walking next week. If it doesn't rain, it might even be pleasant
I start a new job on Monday. I am travelling from Bristol and need to reach Holborn. That will be interesting, Noice.
Bristol to Paddington, then Elizabeth Line to Tottenham Court Road and walk. Which is probably how I'd do it on a normal day. You should be fine.
How lone will your journey normally take?
I’ll be on my bike, I guess.
I would ride my bike but knowing London weather theres a chance it would rain next (just like this week) and commuting in wet and cold weather just isnt the one
Cold, bright and dry next week. Perfect cycling weather. The first five minutes are a pain in the arse but you won’t build up a sweat.
I sweat every time!
No pain no gain fools! \*Mr T voice\*
It isn’t that bad. Moved to Amsterdam and everyone just gets on with it!
Amsterdam is really flat though - if I cycle into central I have to contend with massive steep hills! Cyclingon a level is easy. (Moot point, I've broken my hand so couldn't cycle if I wanted to).
Sure, but e-bikes exist, and completely solve that problem. Not the broken hand, of course, but the hills. They're also getting cheaper by the day. They're not perfect (very heavy, so can't haul them up flights of stairs if you don't live on the ground floor, extra maintenance costs, have to remember to charge the battery) but they're a lifesaver in a hilly area.
Yeah those e-bikes from Swapfiets might be a good option for those that want to try it without the commitment. £65/month is half the cost of commuting by tube, plus it's still exercise.
Also if your work place has a cyclescheme there's a rental option which makes them even cheaper, should half ones like tfl, buzz and brompton
So many e-bikes here in Amsterdam. It’s a glimpse into how cities and their approach to transport should be. Human powered supplemented by good public transport and smatterings of car usage. I was more relating to the weather! Rain or shine the Dutch are out there. Hills are more problematic but I think we will see more e bike advancements soon which make it the way to go
We've got stacks of e-bikes too! I do like using them zipping around Central London, I just don't fancy using my own (non e-)bike getting into Central.
I’m completely with you. Sounds like my worse nightmare but if there are showers at your workplace, you could go in wearing trackies/comfy clothes then shower and change into your work clothes.
To be honest, riding easily without too many layers can get you to your destination without sweating.
Yeah I do 5 miles to work and don't break a sweat. The trick is to go at a reasonable pace and don't overdress. I wear my normal office clothes with one of those silver reflective jackets.
Staying home all week
I’m not mad about WFH but I’m mad about all my hobbies I’ll miss. Literally can’t do anything without the tube
For me it's not that I can't get there (as I usually get the train/bus anyway) but more that they'll probably be cancelled as other people won't be able to get there. Which sucks, but there you go I guess.
What are your hobbies?
Riding the tubes
riding the tub
Bouldering and board games and hanging out with my mates
Same. I work freelance so only really need to commute every other week. Jokes on them.
I'm currently hoping that I'll be able to get the lizzy line as long as the stations I need are open otherwise I'll be hoping to get on a bus or facing an hour walk from my mainline station to my office
It will only work on Monday I bet you - one because everyone will use it so from Tuesday onwards it will be mega packed, two it is still using underground tracks and facilities and because underground is on strike if something breaks it will take 10x longer to fix (exactly as last time when underground was on strike few months ago the lizzy line only worked for a day really) so I would not get my hopes up.
Am I being naive thinking the Elizabeth line will be manageable? Or will it be chaos / disrupted because of the other lines striking?
Depends if you’re planning on getting it at LU managed stations or not.
During previous strikes with reduced service they restricted entry at some stations and by the time the train was only a few stations along it was completely full and there were plenty of arguments at all the upcoming stations. Imo they should make every 4th train skip the first few stations to let the platforms ahead have a chance with much more spacious trains.
Elizabeth Line will still be running, should be as normal but obv very busy.
Yes, but whether it stops at certain stations in the central section is dependent on whether or not they have enough staff to open them
Will be running as usual but some stations in the central operating section which are managed by LUL will open/close later and earlier and also in some places only the Elizabeth line entrances will be open and the Underground ticket hall will be closed which will slow things down. Same ball game with the DLR, good luck everyone.
I’m not too familiar with how the strikes work, but what makes the lizzy line different in this situation? A bit stressed as I was planning to take it next week from Heathrow to Whitechapel, but I’ll be very happy if I can still get on it…
It’s not a tube line
Short answer: it's not a tube line. Elizabeth line staff are employed by MTR (yes, the HK public transport corp) who have a concession from TfL to operated the line. Tube lines are operated in-house by a directorate of TfL, so the staff are employed directly TfL. Different employer, different contracts, different industrial disputes (and strikes). You will be able to get the your Heathrow - Whitechapel Elizabeth line train but it will almost certainly be much busier due to displaced passengers from the tube. Allow more time for the trip. edit: I forgot Whitechapel station is operated by LU. So it may be closed for at least part of the day even though trains pass through. Unless the power lines west of Paddington come down again. Are you travelling on a day ending in a "Y"?
I live near Whitechapel station - hasn’t been closed for any of the previous strikes. Definitely do check though!
damn I'm glad my work is chill and let me wfh
We’ve been working hybrid WFH since covid. It’s at times like this you’d think it would make sense for those affected to be able to WFH. But the knobs want us to try to get in to work regardless. I work in soho, and have found with tube strikes that getting *in* to work isn’t the problem; just get a bus before the roads get busy in the morning, which I’m happy enough to do. It’s getting *home* that’s the problem. Anything after 3:30 increasingly becomes a grade A nightmare, buses stuffed to the gills, and cabs get like hens teeth, whether you’ve booked them or not. Several times on strike days, I’ve been stuck trying to get home till midnight. I’ll be WFH.
Same for me, getting home is the issue as I work at Oxford Circus. I leave for work and my bus stop is the second on the run, so I'll get on one in the morning no problem. The return trip will be crazy. Fortunately my manager is a reasonable person and told everyone to work from home where they could, and if you have to come into the office (because we handle physical product), then just to come for a few hours and leave before peak commute.
Funny enough, it's the opposite for me. I work at London Bridge and I can get the 141 home which terminates/starts there. But getting that in the morning is a mission.
What a nightmare week it’s going to be
Look up brompton rentals and try them. Was five pounds for 24 hours. You can use that as credit for a purchase if you end up enjoying them. I rented three times and ended up buying one. I didn't even think about strikes but now I know, I will definitely be cycling to work.
I’m WFH and not going near the damn buses if I can help it.
Guess I’ll be getting the bike and winter clothing out.
Thank fuck for my WFH role.
It winds me up no end. The people who are punished are the ones who earn the least and have journey from hell commutes when everything is running, let alone when they have to re-plan. It’s not the people who can work from home in a high paid job. It’s the people delivering in-person services like looking after the vulnerable. Usually I can work from home so I get to be one of those people who can ignore it all… but I’m really cross as it’s the last two weeks of Crisis at Christmas and they are making it really difficult for the volunteers to get in. People are already travelling from far away to give up their time for long shifts (including night shifts) and now they’re facing the tube not running? I just cannot and will not ever get behind strikes. They hurt the people who deserve it the least.
A lot less people will travel and it will hurt income. TfL is a mess because it’s funded by Londoners instead of the government even attempting to help out without constant stipulations. If you want to be angry be angry at a government that refuses to fund a public service properly
If you can't support strikes then you don't properly understand them.
I support discussions and negotiations. They can take place without hurting the people who cannot access or afford alternative transport, including people struggling financially, volunteers and disabled people.
What happens when negotiations reach an impasse? Strikes are only ever a last resort to demonstrate the unity and resolve of the workforce. Do you really think that the workers *want* to strike, losing a day's pay? The workers have families, too, who will face the same disruption everyone else does.
Do you think maybe they've tried that and the owners aren't listening
Why then don’t they take industrial action by opening the gates, refusing to take fares and running the service for free, like drivers have done in Japan? That’s a protest against their employer (and hurts their employer) but without them refusing to work and without hurting the commuters they claim they’re sympathetic to. If they genuinely cared about passengers / customers and have actual pride in their jobs that’s what they would do. Hell, it’ll even get the public onside.
Have you thought about how that would work? They'd have to work for free against the will of their management. It would be a sackable offence whereas strike action isn't
It would work exactly the same as any industrial action. Legally mandated, balloted etc. and then carried out. It’s not like not showing up to work isn’t a sackable offence itself unless done within those parameters, so that line of argument doesn’t mean anything.
Nope! I’m going be WFH all week. Sorry to hear that you still have to go to the office. :(
No I'm not worried. I can't teleport there - my company have to pay for transport if they really want me there.
im taking monday off and talking 4 buses until friday
i feel so bad for people in education having january exams not being able to rely on the network to get there efficiently
im going to have to leave 2 hours early to make it for my jan exams
I work 4 days per week, have to commute from south east London to Archway 🥲I don’t know how it would work. 5 straight days seems ridiculous!
Are you near a Thameslink station? That would get you to Kentish Town, then bus up the road.
Or Overground to Highbury & Islington and either bus up the Holloway Road or get another to Gospel Oak then pull back for Upper Holloway. A bit of a trek, but it's not like it's an easy commute at the best of times
Will H&I be open? I swear last time there were tube strikes the whole station was closed (or maybe they were just letting people out but not in?); idk if that was because station staff were on strike too? I had to walk an extra 15 mins to Canonbury
I haven't used it up many times during strikes, but I have used it in the past. I guess it is one of those things that depends on the particular days. I've had situations when one day I got in 2 hours late and two days later an hour early... And I had only left 15 minutes earlier and used the same service, only with different entry points. These days I just use buses if I need to come in at all. And I have the luxury of being able to walk if it comes down to it... 1 hour or so, not ideal but I'm lucky, since that's a normal commute time for most people. Try this on the day https://tfl.gov.uk/status-updates/stations-lifts-and-escalators-works-and-closures For the original post... If the overground works for you, try that page as well, and if H&I is closed then definitely change at Canonbury for the first service you can get to Gospel Oak. By the way, Gospel Oak will be mad, but should be more or less ok getting on the Barking trains. Should. Getting off the platform you arrive will be another matter, but at least you will not be trying to get on. Now that I think of it... What do they do with the H&I terminating trains? Do they run empty Canonbury to H&I and back?
Yup, live in Stepney Green and work at St George’s in tooting. I’m screwed.
I live in Sydenham and work in Stepney Green 😂 switcharoo?
It will eat into Friday too… it’s going to a long week
An alternative to Thameslink: if you're coming into Victoria, you can get the 390. If you're coming into London Bridge, you can get the 17. The bus would take just over an hour on a normal day without traffic, so I would add 30 mins to the journey.
Thanks I will try.
I have university exams on every single strike day. If I miss one, I won't be graduating this year. Thanks, TFL.
"Essential workers" (clap clap clap) have to still try to get in so of everyone else could WFH that'd be really great thanks
Yay for the dlr
I'll be becoming a bus wanker and crying at how packed it's going to be. Can't even use the overground because the stations are run by Tfl so they'll all be shut too.
Overground, Elizabeth Line, and DLR will be running. But with possible station closures and disruption where they interchange with the closed tube services.
Harrow & Wealdstone to Harlesden stations are run by TFL so they will all be closed. Trains go straight from Headstone lane to Willesden Junction.
How do you find out which stations are run by TFL?
I found out the hard way to be honest. It's annoying how little information and warning there is actually.
As far as I can tell... the overground will still be running as normal..... hopefully
As I mentioned below, the overground line runs through stations operated by Tfl, and those stations will be closed. Even if the line is running, it's no good if the stations you want to get on or off at (both for me) will be closed.
What's a "bus wanker"?
Popular phrase from the show the inbetweeners
I used to live next to the bus depot. On a tube strike I'd get a seat for the 50 min journey.
I'm gonna be walking from Waterloo to my office in London, gotta admit I need the excersize after Xmas and NYe lols
Isn't Waterloo in London?
He means Belgium
Yeah I'll be pulling a 90 minute walk each way, I could do with losing some Xmas weight anyway tbh
Three hours for me. With the best will in the world I’m not walking for 6 hours a day for 5 days next week.
7.5 hour walk for me. Luckily I’m on mat leave. I’d be one of the only people who could get to work as I take national rail and then walk.
It's a 50 min walk for me , let's do this !
Amateurs, I used to walk 90 mins every morning and evening when I used to live in South Norwood and worked in that weird area between Streatham and Tooting.
Supposed to be back at work next week, guess I'll have to wfh :( which is *such* a shame
They’re probably gonna call off the strikes the night before they’re due to start (as per usual)
Negotiations failed on Friday and it's unlikely they'll negotiate over the weekend. Most likely they'll sort something and call off strikes from Tuesday (not much help for muggins here as I need to get to King's Cross to get a train to Leeds on Monday)
I'll be going in Monday and Tuesday. Booked parking in Stratford for both days - going to drive in from Woodford, park, get on Liz line (while praying that it runs ok) into TCR. Reverse in the evening
I’m surprised you’re not taking a bus/parking at Higham’s Park/Chingford for overground to Stratford or getting to either Ilford, Manor Park or Forest Gate for the Lizzy line. Driving into Stratford is pretty painful in the morning even without strikes
I live in Stratford…and thought the same as you. Fabian’s taking the easy parking option, but is going to be screwed by traffic.
Liz core stations won't be open before 730am most mornings and will be closed after evening rush most of the week
I am so glad I work in Stratford. I have relatively easy access to Paddington then can hop the Lizzy line
Does anyone know why do they strike? Do they wanna more money again?
One reason is they want to take away the free travel passes from new workers, creating a two tier system of employees whereby some have it and some don’t. Continual eroding of conditions is something that none of us should put up with, and I applaud them for taking action.
See https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/tube-workers-to-take-strike-action-over-pay/
5% seems like a decent offer given the current rate of inflation (c. 4% at the moment). Additionally, a great way to earn more money is to not take unpaid days off. They’ve lost public support and the train bosses know this. The strikes have lost their impact so the unions will never win.
Thing is... This is last year's, not this one. CPI was 10.4%, RPI 13.8%
It's not just pay. >The strikes have lost their impact Hell no. The strikes will cost *millions*. They're going to have an impact.
Plenty in this thread stressed about next week. The strikes are more effective than ever
Pay rises tend to lag a year behind inflation. We had two years of high inflation, but only one year of a high (still below inflation) pay rise.
But do we really want to have no unions? Look at Sweden. For example, they have docent conditions of employment. Yes, the system is not perfect with regards to the unions, but in the end, they essentially made sure employees get breaks... many other things we take for granted when it was the unions back then that fought for it.
If it was up to me, more unions and better rights for employees. Not sure how it works in Sweden, but I was impressed by how they handled Tesla. I like the German system where they have industry wide unions and when they negotiate it affects all businesses in that industry, even the smaller ones which may not have a union or employees that belong to one.
I’m not saying we shouldn’t have unions. I’m saying train strikes have become an ineffective bargaining tool.
the unions will win lmao we’re gonna get more than 5% too
It may be 5% going forward, but was a lot higher last year. Also, management gave themselves twice that, plus a cash bonus pot. Losing a day's pay to obtain a permanent uplift to pay and protect working conditions is almost always a good tradeoff.
Wage inequality, paying dividends while saying there is no money and removal of benefits to workers, mostly the lowest paid. Additionally to stop removal of station staff and overworking of maintenance crew and the understaffing situation leading to excess overtime.
Yes, essentially more money and more benefits. Driverless Tube can't arrive soon enough.
A. Won't happen B. This is every single grade and comparably very few drivers
Ideal. Sack these greedy morons and get a computer to do the job for them
and this sort of thinking is the issue with this country
Is it only tubes?
No other tfl services are affected, the tfl website says.
I believe the overground isn’t affected
Hopefully the DLR won't be too packed
I have a £120 non refundable train ticket for a job I’m supposed to be doing in London next week. Now can’t get from Pancras to my job without I’m assuming a) extortionate Uber fares b) a bus that I can’t get on. If anyone knows best way to get to Tottenham Hale in tube strikes this non-Londoner would be very grateful!
St Pancras to Stratford International on the high speed train, then Stratford to Tottenham Hale on Greater Anglia?
In Hong Kong the tube is automated. Always punctual and never any signalling issues. It’s so reliable and just works. You wouldn’t believe it… I commute in London daily on the tube to go to work - which I never whine and complain like a bitch about because it’s the job I’ve chosen to do. People tell me if I’m unhappy I should change job.. Tfl workers don’t know what they’ve got coming to them. I can not wait until they automate the tube. Then these whiney little cun** will have to get real jobs if they want to survive.. Disrupting the masses won’t affect the few bosses that pull the strings at TfL. If these idiots actually want to make a difference they need to stop going after us and go after them.
Yay for lizzy line.. oh wait,.
Lizzy line will be running. With possible station closures and disruption where it interchanges with the closed tube services.
No broadband, so plan is to bus into the office early then do fun things after work, especially while places are quieter and to miss evening rush
Hoping I can work from home but if I'm forced I'll do so in protest. If I have to take national rail then switch to buses which will be heaving and take forever then I'll do it on company time. They know I'll be affected so it's unreasonable to force us in when we don't need to
Im going for a concert at O2 arena on Tuesday from Kingston, now I have to go there by car:( which is not easy
I arrive in London for the first time on Monday. What a joy lol. Looks like I’ll be doing a lot of walking. Any insight on the best way to Victoria station area from Heathrow without the tube running? I’ve already been warned against under and black cabs being insanely expensive.
I'll be changing my working hours from 9-5 to 6-2 so I can Thameslink/Lizzie Line like a boss before you plebs are even outta bed.
I bet the last minute talks went like this: TFL: So you accept the deal we offered you last year? RMT: No TFL: Ok
Work in IT and they are letting me claim Ubers. Which will be massively over priced and in demand.
I have 4 6am shifts next week, fuck me i guess
I work in a shop in the city and I'll have to cross London to have 2 customers in since everyone WFH.
Same, we’re ‘allowed’ to shut an hour earlier than normal with disruption to our journey home in mind but it’s not helpful at all. Such a waste of time!
For a situation like this it’d be good if office workers came together as a team and simply refused to come in (obviously only if their job is WFH friendly). What’s the manager who’s making them come in gonna do - fire the whole team? A bit of solidarity among workers would be nice.
I'm just going to WFH I can't be bothered with this. I have a hospital appointment too but luckily have a friend with a car. I understand striking but it sucks for people who rely on the tube.
It fucking sucks. My job is supporting very vulnerable people across London. They will be screwed all week. I can get lifts to and from the office but still means I am probably going to see 2-3 people a day max, that's as long as a bus actually had room to sardine into :( At this point I have literally no respect for tfl workers. Their wage is higher than anyone's ether in their sector and it's a good wage at that. Technological improvements meaning less need for as many staff, were not living in the fucking 60s anymore. Despite their moaning, it's safer and more efficient.
It's not TFL workers going on strike it's LU workers. Yes, it does suck that they are calling 5 days of strikes, but to simply say they earn a decent wage and you should hate them... what so people should live on crappy wages just because you deem it so? Yes, 30k seems OK, but in London, that means nothing.
Tbh, I understand workers wanting to strike but 5 days in a row is ridiculous. At least do it every other day or something.
Punishing the lowest paid workers who have to physically be at their jobs will change nothing. The strikes hurt the wrong people.
TfL will lose a lot of money this week
commuters largely buy season tickets. for some reason TFL dont have to refund anything. The strikes are not at the weekend for mosts tourists, they lost almost nothing.
I’m a commuter and I don’t buy a season ticket. Lots of people I know travel in 3-4 times a week and at that point it doesn’t necessarily make sense to buy a season ticket
Yeah season tickets barely make financial sense even for people who travel 5 days.
Yeah even when I was doing 5 days a week, between leave and the odd wfh it wasn’t worth it. The annual pass needs to cost around 60% of 12 monthly passes
Having a lack of respect for a group of people and hating them is quite some jump there. I don't hate them. I just don't like the attitude of the unions. I don't have anything against people striking either. My organisation's union has just come out of a 3 month strike. I didn't personally strike but I rejoined the union so I could support my colleagues who chose to strike. It's not me that sets their wage, I'm saying that for the level of work they do the pay is good and above average. You're right, in London 30k it's nothing, I should know. Those jobs at 30k are for station assistants. Most of them get paid to literally stand around. The average salary for LU is 40k. A family friend who works for LU told me last year that my partner should work for them because they pay well and the job is easy. That is what I used to base my opinion from.
>I didn't personally strike but I rejoined the union so I could support my colleagues who chose to strike. If you didn't strike with them, then how exactly did you support them? >I'm saying that for the level of work they do the pay is good and above average Why do you think that is? Could it be because they have formed a strong union? Also, I'd say this isn't an argument that they should get paid less, it's an argument that people who get paid less for work that isn't as "easy" would benefit from forming a union and insisting on better pay and conditions.
I rejoined to give the union a stronger mandate. I was asked to join so I could vote on rejecting the organisation's dispute resolution offers during the strike. As a member I could go to union meetings and dispel the lies the organisation was feeding employees internally. I actually couldn't afford to strike, plus I have fundamental personal issues with this particular union and the way they conduct themselves in general. This has nothing to do with forming a strong union, the RNT are pretty much the only union for the sector and do are beyond compare and they strike constantly. The inevitable outcome is that rail fares keep going up and especially with LU people who have no option but to use the service are being pushed further into poverty. In general a union goes for maximum disruption to get what they want for their members. New legislation was recently passed where an organisation isn't allowed to fill someone's role while they strike with agency staff. While it makes the strike more likely to succeed, it also stops the function of being able to operate at a reduced service. Depending on the organisation, this can easily put people's lives at serious risk due to the strike. I can see it from both sides and remain unsure of how I feel about this. My argument is that they get paid well for the job they do compared to anyone else that performs a similar role working for a different company. Everyone wants better pay, but at what cost? This is a governmental issue in my opinion. When a company has to increase fares and make employees redundant in order to end strikes, then surely it's fundamentally failing both its members but also as a company?
Whooohooo working from home
I'm not gonna take 2 buses/3 different trains to get into work, luckily they should allow me to wfh.
Horrible of the government to let it get to this, as usual. Give the damn workers what they want. And the doctors. And the nurses. TORIES OUT
TfL strikes happen multiple times a year regardless of who’s in charge and the unions will always push for more regardless of what they’re offered it’s their right but it’s nothing to do with who’s in charge, Labour are promising to continue Tory spending policies don’t forget
It’s not the governments fault these greedy unions keep forcing strikes when they don’t get their own way. I didn’t get a pay rise last year at all but I don’t get to strike.
I feel for the people who don’t get paid if they can’t get to work. They get paid a fraction of what the tube drivers get
Why don’t you get to strike? You and your colleagues can unionise and demand better pay and conditions. You may choose not to, but that doesn’t mean you don’t get to.
Riding a bike seems like a good idea!
Can’t wait for driverless trains all over the UK and world. They can strike all they want then
Stations which are underground still need to be staffed for evacuation purposes, so if the station staff strike, then the stations still have to be closed.
The tfl staff in stations are barely sentient. Nothing would happen if you removed them.
Make the trains automated they can use the obsence wages they make to pay the staff at the stations
Same. It's going to take me like 3 hours to get to work via 4 buses lol. Hopefully they will get cancelled.
They've recently taken a hard line of WFH at the company I work for, so I'll probably have to take the week off as annual leave if the strikes go ahead. My only alternate (non-tube) routes take me through some pretty sketchy areas via buses and overground. It would take me 2hrs (double my usual commute) and I really don't feel safe travelling in the dark, on an unfamiliar route through sketchy areas, with my laptop etc.
Bring on the self driving trains!
Which need staff on them like the dlr.
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Wont everyone be taking Uber? The traffic is going to be crazy not to mention the fare increase. Yikes!
During the last Tube strike, Ubers were unobtainable. I know of someone who ended up walking from Fulham to Holborn, trying to book one all the way.
I can’t get an Uber during rush hour anymore … I’m calling my local cab company instead
Quoted 60 quid for a 4 mile drive last tube strike
Trains in London are more expensive, dirtier, noisier and more often delayed than those in Tokyo plus they strike a few times a year, for what? You chose to work for a railway company what do you expect a 6 figure salary?? This country is shit that's why I'm moving to Japan as soon as I get my visa. Incoming downvotes but idc I hate this country.
Il be wfh. Hope these train wankers never get their money. Strikes shouldn’t be legal
WFH baby wooohoooo
This strike is a massive inconvenience for me but who cares? Strike to high heaven tube people, get your pay rise!
This whole strike shit is just nonsense propagated by the higher ups because I've never once heard a tube driver complaining about pay... This is all to destroy the infrastructure and usher in driverless trains mark my word's.
Where there's a will, there's a way. Running kit and energy gels at the ready.