TfL advises customers to check before they travel ahead of strikes

29 Sep 2022 12:47 PM

No service expected on London Overground on Saturday 1 and Wednesday 5 October as a result of national ASLEF dispute.

• Some of London Underground, London Overground and the Elizabeth line will also be affected on Saturday 1 and Saturday 8 October by a national rail strike by RMT members
• Essential engineering works mean no Piccadilly line service to Heathrow on Saturday 1 October and Sunday 2 October
• The majority of the public transport network will operate as usual, but customers are advised to check before they travel and leave more time for journeys

Customers are advised to check before they travel in London this weekend, next Wednesday and next weekend due to planned industrial action by the RMT and ASLEF unions. This action will impact London Overground, the Elizabeth line and parts of London Underground, although most of the network will be operating as usual. Bus services will run as normal but may be busier as a result of the rail strike action.

Although the majority of Transport for London (TfL) services are not affected by the industrial action, customers are advised to plan ahead, check before they travel and leave more time for their journeys as the strikes will impact different transport services on different days. Those travelling to the TCS London Marathon should check with the event organiser and plan journeys in advance using TfL's real-time travel tools, including status updates, Journey Planner and TfL Go.

The Piccadilly line will have no service between Acton Town and Heathrow Airport on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 October for work on the Piccadilly line upgrade that was planned before the strike action was announced. Customers are advised to use the Elizabeth line where possible, rail replacement buses (running from both Acton Town and Hammersmith) or coaches to and from Heathrow. As the Elizabeth line will also be impacted by Network Rail staff being on strike on Saturday, there will be no rail services to the airport after around 17:10 on Saturday until Elizabeth line services from Paddington resume on Sunday morning at around 08:00.

Travel advice for each day is set out below:

Saturday 1 October

• Night Overground on Friday 30 September will run until around 04:00 on Saturday 1 October, which is an earlier finish than normal
• There will be no service on the entire London Overground network from around 04:00 on Saturday morning as a result of ASLEF strike action
• RMT strike action on national rail services will also impact services on London Overground as well as parts of the District and Bakerloo lines. Services will be disrupted on the District line between Wimbledon and Parson's Green and between Richmond and Turnham Green, with limited services running between 07:15 and 18:30 only and minor delays from 18:00 expected from Parson's Green to Upminster
• Limited services will run on the Bakerloo line between Queen's Park and Harrow & Wealdstone from 08:00 to 18:00 with no service outside these times
• The central section of the Elizabeth line from Paddington to Abbey Wood will have a normal service until 17:45 when services will be reduced. On the east between Liverpool Street and Shenfield, trains will run a reduced service of two trains per hour from around 07:30 to 17:30 and on the west from around 07:40 to 17:10, two trains per hour between Paddington and Reading and four trains per hour between Paddington and Heathrow T2/3, with two of these continuing to T4 and the other two trains per hour continuing to T5
• The Piccadilly line will have no service between Acton Town and Heathrow Airport on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 October. Rail replacement buses will run to Heathrow from both Acton Town and Hammersmith 

Sunday 2 October

• Services will start slightly later on the London Overground, Bakerloo and District lines with a good service expected by late morning
• Elizabeth line services will start at around 06:30 on the east, 08:00 in the west and the Elizabeth line from Paddington to Abbey Wood does not currently run on Sundays

Wednesday 5 October

• Strike action is taking place by train drivers on London Overground who are part of the ASLEF union meaning that there will be no service on the entire London Overground network

Thursday 6 October

• Services will run as normal on the London Overground

Friday 7 October

• Night Overground on Friday 7 October will run until around 04:00 on Saturday 8 October, which is an earlier finish than normal

Saturday 8 October

• RMT strike action on national rail services will impact services on London Overground with no services between 04:00 and 08:00 and after 18:00. A reduced service will operate between 08:00 and 18:00. A Saturday Night Overground service will not operate
• Parts of the District and Bakerloo lines will also be disrupted. Services will be disrupted on the District line between Wimbledon and Parson's Green and between Richmond and Turnham Green, with limited services between 07:15 and 18:30 only and minor delays from 18:00 expected from Parson's Green to Upminster
• There is a planned District line closure due to engineering work on 8 October between Earl's Court and Wimbledon
• Limited services will run on the Bakerloo line between Queen's Park and Harrow & Wealdstone from 08:00 to 18:00 with no service outside these times
• The central section of the Elizabeth line from Paddington to Abbey Wood will have a normal service until 17:45 when services will be reduced. On the east between Liverpool Street and Shenfield, trains will run a reduced service of two trains per hour from around 07:30 to 17:30 and on the west from Paddington to Reading or Heathrow will run a reduced service of two trains per hour from around 07:40 to 17:10

Sunday 9 October

• Services will start slightly later on the London Overground, Bakerloo and District lines with a good service expected by late morning
• There is a planned District line closure due to engineering work on 9 October between Earl's Court and Wimbledon, and between Turnham Green and Richmond
• Elizabeth line services will start at around 06:30 on the east, 08:00 in the west and the Elizabeth line from Paddington to Abbey Wood does not currently run on Sundays

Trish Ashton, TfL's Director of Rail and Sponsored Services, yesterday said:

“Customers will still be able to travel during these strikes including using the bus network, but we strongly advise them to plan ahead and check before they travel. There is expected to be disruption on some of London's rail services this weekend and next, with small parts of the Tube also affected.”

While there will be still be public transport options across London, walking or cycling may be quicker for some journeys and planning tools are available to plan walking and cycling journeys including using Cycleways and some of the other high-quality cycling schemes that were introduced during the pandemic. Santander Cycles will be available, with teams ensuring that bikes are distributed at key locations according to demand. Rental e-scooters are also available to hire in some London boroughs.

For more details on the industrial action and tools to plan their journey, passengers should go to: tfl.gov.uk/strikes

Notes to Editors

• For more details on the industrial action and tools to plan their journey, passengers should go to: tfl.gov.uk/strikes
• Unite strike action which was due to impact London bus services, mostly in north and northeast London indefinitely from Tuesday 4 October has now been suspended
• TfL advises customers to check National Rail Enquiries for the latest information on the national rail strikes as there will be a major impact on some national rail operators outside of London
• Arriva Rail London operate London Overground on behalf of TfL
• Network Rail is advising customers that there is likely to be some disruption in the early morning on the national rail network of the day after each RMT and ASLEF strike - Sunday 2 October, Thursday 6 October and Sunday 9 October as staff return to duties
• Walking maps are available at: tfl.gov.uk/modes/walking
• Use the TfL cycle map to find cycle routes London: tfl.gov.uk/maps/cycle
• For more information about Santander Cycles and docking stations visit tfl.gov.uk/modes/cycling/santander-cycles