SEPTEMBER TFL TUBE STRIKES: What’s running on Tuesday and what did cabbies think of demand on day one?
- Perry Richardson
- Sep 9
- 2 min read
Londoners are waking to a second day of widespread disruption as strike action across the Tube and DLR continues to impact travel.
On Tuesday 9 September, there is no service on the Docklands Light Railway due to separate industrial action, and the vast majority of Underground lines remain closed. Any trains running are not expected before 8am and will finish early, with Transport for London urging customers to complete journeys by 6pm.
Other TfL services including the Elizabeth line, London Overground and London Trams are in operation but are under heavy pressure from diverted demand. Some services are unable to stop at all stations due to closures at Underground-linked sites.
With core parts of the rail network shut, many commuters turned to road options on Monday, the first full day of the strike. Black taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) saw a major increase in demand, although not every driver found conditions ideal.
Taxi driver Danny told TaxiPoint: “Every station had at least 100 people waiting. Got a Woodford Green to Mayfair first job. Done 6 and a half hours. Home by lunchtime from Canary Wharf.”
Another driver, Dean, added: “200 in queue at Euston. I get Harley Street — one person. Traffic heading back there is a standstill.”
Some drivers saw a clear boost in trade, commenting, “my mate George is raking it in”, while others noted slower spells mainly due to the heavy midday traffic. Cabbie Anton said “no job half hour just sitting in traffic”, and Richie pointed out that more people are working from home.
A number of drivers echoed the need for a measured approach. Clifford reminded colleagues: “Don’t matter how busy it is, you can only do one job at a time. And please don’t broom any. A job’s a job.”
Despite the grumbles about traffic, the outcome on day one was reported high demand in many areas, particularly around major stations and central London. PHV operators also saw booking spikes, with some using surge pricing to manage capacity. Congestion, however, continues to limit journey times, with delays affecting both booked and hailed rides.
TfL has confirmed that the strike is due to continue through Thursday 11 September, with further disruption expected on Friday morning. Another DLR walkout is planned for Thursday. Bus services are running but are facing overcrowding and growing pressure on roads. Additional strike action by First Bus staff later in the week is likely to affect services in west, northwest and southwest London.
