London commuters say their week of ‘pure carnage’ has begun as the city’s Underground network grinds to a halt over a pay dispute.
Tube drivers have launched a full walkout this morning in an RMT-led row with Transport for London (TfL) over pay and conditions, plunging the capital into travel chaos.
The union had demanded that its workers receive a boost to their pay packets as well as a reduction in working time from 35 hours to 32 hours per week, with reports now claiming that they also want a 75 per cent discount on all rail travel.
But TfL, who have since tabled a 3.4 per cent pay rise offer to the union’s members, said reducing working hours would be both ‘unaffordable and impractical’.
With travel disarray in sight, Nick Dent, TfL’s director of customer operations for the Tube, pleaded with the the RMT on Friday as he said ‘it is not too late’ to call the strikes off.
However, with the union and its members having gone full steam ahead with the walkout, the underground system looks set to be completely paralysed until Friday morning.
Images from across London this morning show closed off entrances to Underground stations and mammoth queues at bus stops as millions British workers look to fight tooth and nail to make their way into the city.
And many of them have called Sadiq Khan’s role into question – pondering why here has been ‘no sign or sound’ from the Mayor of London as British workers face disarray.
London Bridge Underground Station is one of many across the city to have its entrance closed off this morning as the entire Tube network grinds to a halt
Despairing commuters are now rushing to get buses into the city, which are expected to be extremely busy with workers
RMT Union members have arrived on the picket line at London Bridge Underground Station today as their strike begins
The strikes were launched yesterday with a limited service still operating, but today’s full-scale walkout is the first time the underground network has been entirely closed since March 2023.
It was reported by the The Telegraph that a further stumbling block in negotiations between the RMT and TfL arose when union members sought a 75 per cent discount on rail travel on top of existing demands.
A TfL source told the publication that such a request was ‘unaffordable’ – but it is believed to be a key point of negotiation from workers, whose existing demands over pay and working hours are estimated to cost around £200million if met.
Commuters had hoped a similar aversion would be deployed to that of last January, when Sadiq Khan used £30million of Greater London Authority funds to stop Tube workers from striking.
But with no solution in sight and a week of disruption ahead, many Britons have taken to social media to tell of their dejection as they called the Mayor of London’s role into question.
One posted to X this morning that they had forgotten ‘all about the tube strikes’, adding: ‘Pure carnage on the roads until Friday.’
Another wrote: ‘Another bloody tube strike in London, TfL. Absolute nightmare.’
A third added: ‘No sign or sound from Mayor Khan about this tube strike. Absent from the airwaves – as always when there’s trouble.’
A page reading ‘Strike Action Impacts’ on TfL’s website shows the scale of the Tube disruption this week
Many popular areas across the city normally packed with tourists and workers, such as London Bridge, will lie desolate over the coming week
Massive queues have been seen at London Victoria bus station this morning as the Tube network is paralysed by strikes
An RMT spokesperson said they ‘are not going on strike to disrupt small businesses or the public’.
They added: ‘This strike is going ahead because of the intransigent approach of TfL management and their refusal to even consider a small reduction in the working week in order to help reduce fatigue and the ill-health effects of long-term shift work on our members.
‘We believe a shorter working week is fair and affordable, particularly when you consider TfL has a surplus of £166 million last year and a £10 billion annual operating budget.’
As Tube stations across the city lie desolate, workers will pack onto buses, the London Overground and trams – with roads also expected to be far busier than usual.
Travel expert Nicky Kelvin, editor-at-large at The Points Guy, told the Daily Mail: ‘For those commuters who are unable to avoid travelling during the strike days, I strongly advice to explore alternative transport options such as buses or even Lime bikes.
‘Commuters should also factor in potential ripple effects on the London Overground, as connecting stations will likely experience increased pressure. It’s a given that all remaining transport modes will face heightened demand, especially through morning and evening rush hours.’
Mr Kelvin added that it was important to ‘monitor real-time travel updates’ as well as on-the-ground reports from social media.
Docklands Light Railway (DLR) services, which run through east and southeast London, will also be stopped entirely on Tuesday and Thursday over a separate dispute.
TfL has advised that alternative means of transport look set to be ‘extremely busy’ as commuters try to find a way into the city.
They expect them to be so rammed that some services even face being unable to stop at stations shared with the London Underground.
Commuters have taken aim at the Mayor of London as they despair over the network shutdown
Announcing the strikes last month, RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said workers were ‘not after a ‘King’s ransom’.
He said: ‘Our members are doing a fantastic job to keep our capital moving and work strenuous shift patterns to make sure Londoners get to their destinations around the clock.
‘They are not after a King’s ransom, but fatigue and extreme shift rotations are serious issues impacting on our members health and wellbeing- all of which have not been adequately addressed for years by LU management.
‘Coupled with the fact there are outstanding issues around staff travel arrangements, an atmosphere of distrust has been created, where our members feel like no one is listening to them.
‘RMT will continue to engage LU management with a view to seeking a revised offer in order to reach a negotiated settlement.’
