Tubes and buses will run as normal this week, but train strikes are expected to disrupt travel.
The next train strikes will take place on Saturday, September 2, affecting services operated by Avanti West Coast, c2c, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Great Western Railway, Greater Anglia, GTR (Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern, Thameslink), Southeastern, South Western Railway, and West Midlands Railway.
Tubes and buses will not be affected by the strikes, but some services could be busier than usual. Other services, such as the Overground and the Elizabeth Line, are also set to run as normal. However, some Tubes and Overground services which run through the same stations as National Rail services could also be affected on strike days.
There are currently no plans for further Tube or bus strikes in London, but bus drivers in Manchester are set to stage a series of strikes next month.
The walkouts on September 1 and 2 are the only confirmed strike dates so far, but Aslef has also announced action short of a strike on September 2 in the shape of an overtime ban. This is likely to lead to services being disrupted.
Aslef’s Mick Whelan has warned that action could continue for years until a settlement is reached. He said there is ‘no waning in enthusiasm’ from members for more strikes.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when planning your journey during the strike:
- Visit the National Rail website to find out the most up-to-date information on the affected services.
- Allow yourself a bit more time to get where you need to go. For example, if you’re travelling by bus or using the Underground, you’ll need to factor in delays and cancellations
- The strikes are likely to cause significant disruption to travel, with many services being cancelled or delayed.
- The strikes are expected to affect around 40,000 train drivers.
- The strikes are being organized by the Aslef union, which represents train drivers.