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It’s been well over two years (coming up to three) since London’s rail workers first started striking over issues like pay, working conditions and job security. And while in recent months industrial action in the capital has mellowed (ASLEF voted to approve a pay deal and then called off strikes on November), the strikes aren’t completely over.
Over the Christmas and New Year period several smaller-scale strikes took place across London’s transport network, since then more industrial action has been taking place for on Avanti West Coast services. This week the RMT reached an agreement with Avanti West Coast, ending theses strikes.
Earlier this month it was announced that nearly 500 drivers on the Elizabeth would be walking out over a pay dispute across four weeks, but those strikes were called off, too.
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All you need to know about the train strikes across the UK.
Find out how to get to London’s airports during strikes here.
When are the next London train strikes?
The next strikes that could potentially impact London come from Hull Trains, which runs trains to and from London King’s Cross.
The Hull Trains strikes began on March 7 and will finish on April 26, taking place every Friday and Saturday.
How long will the London train strikes last?
The Hull Trains strikes are set to last nearly two months.
When will the Elizabeth line be on strike?
No Elizabeth line strikes are currently planned.
Why are UK train workers striking?
Hull Trains workers are protesting what they say is the unfair dismissal of a colleague who raised safety concerns.
Will strikes affect the Eurostar?
Eurostar is not expected to be affected by any strike dates. Find the latest details on the Eurostar website.
When are the next tube strikes?
There are currently no tube strikes scheduled for London’s transport network. Tube lines may be busier during Elizabeth line strikes.
Is the London Overground on strike?
Strikes on the Overground (somewhat recently renamed and re-coloured) around this time last year were suspended. No more action is planned, though the orange line could be affected by the disruption of tube and Elizabeth line strikes.
How to get to London airports during strikes
Tubes and trains are rarely on strike at the same time, so travellers can usually get the other, non-striking one to the airport. If you plan on using the Elizabeth line to get to Heathrow, you can always use the Piccadilly line or Heathrow Express.
Coaches frequently run from central and outer London areas by the likes of National Express. All airports are also, obvs, all accessible by road – whether you’d like to drive or get a taxi. Expect higher levels of traffic during strike days.
What do the government’s anti-strike laws mean for London?
A bill requiring striking workers to meet ‘minimum service levels’ was passed by the Conservative government in 2023. The anti-strike legislation supposedly ensures ‘minimum service levels’ on key public services, including trains, theoretically making it pretty difficult for things to grind to a complete halt.
In practice, however, the law was not effectively put into practice. The current Labour government confirmed last summer that it was rolling back the law, telling employers not to enforce it while it passes a new law to formally abolish it.
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