Tube strike: Londoners using Central and Waterloo & City lines hit by TfL walkout

A 24-hour strike is taking place on the Central and Waterloo & City lines on 7 November, with limited or no service across both lines.

The Central line will resume at around 5.30am on Thursday 8 November.

During the walkout, Central line tickets are being accepted on London Buses, London Overground, London DLR, TfL Rail and Greater Anglia services.

Key Points

Strike on the Central line will last until 5.30am on Thursday 8 November

Piccadilly line strike called off

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has called the Central line strike "unnecessary" 

Show latest update

2018-11-07T08:18:38.756Z

Commuters into Central London are facing disruption this morning, as both the Central and Waterloo City lines are off due to strike action.

 

Stations including Stratford, Liverpool Street, Oxford Circus and Notting Hill Gate will all be without the Central Line and are expected to be extremely busy.

 

Transport for London advises using alternative routes on local buses and other routes, as well as walking between stations if possible.

 

• Cathy Adams
• 7 November 2018 08:57

2018-11-07T08:25:24.923Z

The strike has been called by the the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, which cites a breakdown in industrial relations and abuse of procedures as the cause behind the strikes.

General secretary Mick Cash said: “Industrial relations along the Central Line have been at breaking point for some time now and the failure of the management to address the issues, and a conscious decision to up the ante by attempting to single out and pick off individual members of staff, has tipped the situation over the edge and has led to the announcement of strike action."

A walkout on the Piccadilly Line was called off late last night, as RMT announced it was suspending the action after progress was made in talks in a dispute over industrial relations.

 

 

• Cathy Adams
• 7 November 2018 08:26

2018-11-07T08:42:08.546Z

Separately, Heathrow Express and Transport for London trains between the airport and London Paddington are heavily disrupted because of Network Rail carrying out “urgent repairs to the track between Hayes & Harlington and London Paddington”.

It appears that there is a broken rail between Ealing Broadway and West Ealing, and while engineers are working to repair the damage trains on the other lines which would normally be travelling at over 100mph are being slowed to a crawl for safety reasons.

Passengers are being warned: “Trains may be cancelled, delayed or amended to not call at all stations.” 

Long-distance services are being affected. Two trains from Swansea, Cardiff and Newport are arriving over an hour late, and the early arrival from Plymouth and Exeter has been cancelled.  

• Cathy Adams
• 7 November 2018 08:57

2018-11-07T08:47:51.546Z

 

Other London Underground lines are extremely busy this morning. Passengers have been sharing images of packed trains.

 

• Cathy Adams
• 7 November 2018 08:47

2018-11-07T08:51:10.296Z

TfL advises walking between stations if your journey is a short one.

 

Its walking map here shows average walking time between stations in zones 1-3.

• Cathy Adams
• 7 November 2018 08:51

2018-11-07T08:56:58.133Z

The RMT union, which called the Central line strike, has said its members are standing "absolutely rock solid" behind the 24-hour walkout. 

 

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "RMT members are standing absolutely rock solid and united the length of the Central Line this morning as they send out the clearest possible signal that they will not be bullied into accepting a wholesale undermining of workplace justice and rights.

“Industrial relations along the Central Line have been at breaking point for some time now and the failure of the management to address the issues, and a conscious decision to up the ante by attempting to single out and pick off individual members of staff, has tipped the situation over the edge and has led to the strike action today."

It calls today's strike action the "clearest possible demonstration" to TfL bosses about "the level of anger on the job".

• Cathy Adams
• 7 November 2018 08:57

2018-11-07T09:05:39.920Z

TfL is advising that some stations will be particularly busy today, especially during the morning and evening peaks, and they may need to close temporarily to stop overcrowding.

 

These stations are: Stratford, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Bank, Liverpool Street, Woodford, Mile End, Leytonstone, White City, Ealing Broadway, Oxford Circus and Notting Hill Gate.

• Cathy Adams
• 7 November 2018 09:05

2018-11-07T09:17:06.880Z

At least passengers have a sense of humour...

 

 

• Cathy Adams
• 7 November 2018 09:17

2018-11-07T10:02:49.763Z

The Independent's travel correspondent Simon Calder is at London Paddington, as services to and from Heathrow are heavily disrupted.

 

This is what he says:

 

Passengers are staring blankly at departure boards which are listing the many cancellations. Half the number of Heathrow Express trains are running, while many inter-city services are delayed or cancelled.

 

When trains finally arrive, some travellers are sprinting for appointments. Gwinnie Jones tweeted from the train:

 

 

The problem was with Network Rail, owned by the Department for Transport.

Carl Morgan had travelled from Doncaster to London but faced problems on the final part of his journey, to Slough.

 

He told The Independent: "Some delays as usual, but it’s what we’ve come to expect. Trying to keep the lines open is where they need better organisation."

• Cathy Adams
• 7 November 2018 10:02

2018-11-07T10:09:55.893Z

The Independent's Shehab Khan responds to a (now deleted) tweet of Ben Goldsmith, brother of Zac Goldsmith, who blamed immigration policy on today's Tube walkout.

 

• Cathy Adams
• 7 November 2018 10:09

2018-11-07T10:30:49.283Z

Does anybody want to share a cab with Mary Portas?

 

 

• Cathy Adams
• 7 November 2018 10:30

2018-11-07T11:08:37.370Z

The GLA Conservatives have slammed today's strike and blamed London Mayor Sadiq Khan for the walkout.

 

Spokesman Keith Prince AM said: “Sadiq Khan described Boris Johnson’s strikes record as a ‘disgrace’, yet after only two and half years in the job he already has the worst average strikes record of any Mayor of London.

 

“Londoners elected Sadiq Khan after he pledged that there would be zero strikes under his leadership, but it is clear he has spectacularly failed to keep this promise.

 

“London desperately needs a Mayor who will stand up to the unions rather than letting them wreak havoc.”

• helen.coffey
• 7 November 2018 11:08

2018-11-07T12:01:57.010Z

London Labour has responded to Conservative claims that London Mayor Sadiq Khan has a questionable record on strikes compared to his predecessor, Boris Johnson.

 

The group tweeted: "This is just not true – Londoners know from their own experience of commuting that @SadiqKhan has the best record of any Mayor on strikes.

 

"Over the past two years, he has reduced days lost to strikes on the tube by 65 per cent."

• helen.coffey
• 7 November 2018 12:01

2018-11-07T12:33:47.220Z

Commuters are apparently using today's strike as a reason to stay in bed.

 

According to an overnight online poll of 500 commuters, one in 10 will avoid the Central line strike today by taking a "duvet day".

 

The research, from Commuter Club, also says that 20 per cent of commuters will take today as a free day off, while one in five will take a half day.

• Cathy Adams
• 7 November 2018 12:33

2018-11-07T13:21:23.610Z

Some commuters are turning to extreme measures to get to the office during the Central line walkout...

 

 

• Cathy Adams
• 7 November 2018 13:21

2018-11-07T13:25:19.533Z

Refunds will not generally be made during strike action, says TfL, although it will consider all requests. 

 

Here is the link to get in touch about a refund.

 

 

• Cathy Adams
• 7 November 2018 13:25

2018-11-07T14:48:00.056Z

Although today's strike may be frustrating for thousands of commuters, recent research found that running out of mobile phone battery annoys the British public more than transport problems. 

 

Duracell’s Low Battery Low Study, which surveyed 1,500 Brits in October, put running out of juice as the third most frustrating occurrence after sales calls and "unexplained item in bagging area". Train delays swung into fourth place.

• helen.coffey
• 7 November 2018 14:48

2018-11-07T15:38:16.186Z

Today's strike action is in part motivated by RMT's demand that two sacked drivers be reinstated.

 

Nigel Holness, managing director of London Underground, called the walkout “totally unjustifiable”, saying: “Both are demanding the reinstatement of drivers sacked over serious safety breaches - one who deliberately opened the doors of a train in a tunnel, and one who failed a drugs test.

 

“We always strive to run a reliable service for our customers but our commitment to the safety of both customers and staff is absolute and something we will never compromise on.”

• helen.coffey
• 7 November 2018 15:38

2018-11-07T16:22:20.456Z

Some are pointing out the irony of today's tube strike coinciding with Stress Awareness Day.

 

 

However, others are using the strike as an excuse to leave work early, with some commuters already heading home. Angelika tweeted: "Sneaking out of work early due to tube strike #smallthings". 

• helen.coffey
• 7 November 2018 16:22

2018-11-07T17:25:46.356Z

Commuters heading home will find the Central and Waterloo & City lines are still down due to today's strike.

 

There are 150 extra buses to help Londoners get home, but travellers can also use alternative tube lines, although these are expected to be much busier than normal.

 

Mile End is served by the District and Hammersmith & City lines; Liverpool Street is on the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines; Bank is on the Northern, Circle and District lines; Holborn is on the Piccadilly line; Tottenham Court Road is on the Northern line; Oxford Circus is on the Bakerloo and Victoria lines; Bond Street is on the Jubilee line; Notting Hill Gate is on the Circle and District lines; White City is on the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines; and Ealing Broadway is on the District line.

 

Commuters can also use TfL's Tube Walking Map, which shows the walking time in minutes between stations in Zone 1-3.

• helen.coffey
• 7 November 2018 17:25

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