TFL TUBE STRIKES: Taxi drivers prepare for severe disruption ahead of London Underground and DLR action

Taxi drivers across the capital are preparing for increased demand and congestion as London faces widespread disruption due to strike action by the RMT union. The action is scheduled to take place between Sunday 7 September and Thursday 11 September, with further walkouts on the DLR and bus networks following soon after.

Transport for London (TfL) has warned that there will be little to no service across the entire London Underground from Monday 8 through to Thursday 11 September. Limited services may operate on Sunday 7 September, but passengers are advised to complete all journeys by 6pm. On affected weekdays, services that do run will start later than normal, with no trains before 8am and an early shut down expected by 6pm each day.

The walkout follows an ongoing dispute between the RMT and TfL over working conditions. RMT is pushing for a reduction in the working week, despite Tube staff already operating on a 35-hour schedule. TfL says that any further cut would be financially unsustainable, potentially costing hundreds of millions of pounds. The transport body argues that a six-minute reduction per day would not have a meaningful impact on staff fatigue and has urged the union to explore other solutions.

TfL has offered a 3.4% pay rise for all London Underground staff, aligned with the February RPI figure. This follows several years of increases, which have seen pay grow by around 25% since 2020. The RMT launched its strike ballot prior to receiving the latest pay proposal and secured a 57.5% mandate for action. TfL is calling on the union to put the full offer to its members.

The Docklands Light Railway will also be affected by separate industrial action. No DLR services are expected on Tuesday 9 and Thursday 11 September. Even when the DLR is operating, stations shared with the Underground network could still face closures or restricted access.

Adding to the pressure on the network, First Bus drivers are due to strike from Friday 12 to Sunday 14 September. This action may affect bus services in west, northwest and southwest London.

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While some TfL services including the Elizabeth line, London Overground and London Trams are expected to operate as normal, these are likely to be exceptionally busy. Closures at key interchange stations may also limit access, particularly during peak hours.

The situation is expected to push more people onto roads, significantly increasing traffic levels. Taxis and PHVs may see a surge in bookings, especially during commuting hours and around mainline rail stations. Drivers should anticipate longer journey times and possible delays in central areas and along key routes.

TfL is encouraging all passengers to check live travel updates and consider walking or cycling where possible. Travellers are urged to plan ahead, allow extra time and avoid non-essential travel during peak disruption days.

With a large portion of the network shut down or heavily reduced, taxi services will play a key role in keeping London mobile throughout the week.

Claire Mann, TfL's Chief Operating Officer, said: “We call on the RMT to suspend this action, put our fair and affordable offer to their members and continue discussions with us. Our pay deal is in line with other offers accepted by the RMT across the rail industry, so it is disappointing the RMT is planning to disrupt Londoners without giving their members a say on the offer.

“We remain open for discussions about any part of our offer, and we are committed to making sure our colleagues are treated fairly. We welcome further engagement from all of our unions about managing fatigue across the network, but a reduction in the contractual 35-hour working week is neither practical nor affordable.

“If this strike action goes ahead, customers should check before they travel, as on some days during the strike there will be little to no service.”