Travel news. Significant travel disruption is expected in London this month as bus drivers stage three separate walkouts after failing to come to a pay agreement with Transport for London.
Thousands of drivers are expected to join strike action on the 5, 13, and 16 of February as part of a longstanding row over differences in pay. The first of the 24-hour strikes will begin tomorrow morning at 4am.
“I am very sorry that the leadership of Unite are threatening to further disrupt the journeys of bus passengers, especially given that only 16 per cent of the bus drivers voted for strike action,” Transport for London’s s director of buses, Mike Weston told The Independent.
The union, however, disputes his claims, saying its members have been “working tirelessly” to come to an agreement with bosses in order to prevent the “inevitable disruption”.
Unite accuses TFL of paying drivers different rates for the same hours on identical routes, saying pay can fluctuate by over £3 an hour. “We urge London’s bus operators to see sense and collectively engage in talks to give London’s bus workers a fair deal,” said Unite’s Wayne King. TfL says pay differences reflect experience.
Passengers are advised to plan alternative routes to avoid the disruption. Transport for London says it will deploy extra Barclay’s bicycles where they are most needed, and extra River Bus services between Woolwich and Embankment will be in operation.
Photo courtesy imgkid.com
Which services will be affected?
Abellio (Abellio London and Abellio West London)
Arriva (Arriva North and Arriva South)
CT Plus (Hackney Community Transport)
Go Ahead (Blue Triangle, Docklands, London General, London Central, Metrobus)
London Sovereign London United Metroline (Metroline and Metroline West)
Stagecoach (East London Bus & Coach Company, Selkent) Tower Transit
However, a number of bus routes in the capital will remain unaffected by the strikes. These are:
66 – Romford Station to Leytonstone bus station
142 – Watford Junction to Brent Cross Shopping Centre
160 – Catford to Sidcup Station 258 – Watford Junction to South Harrow Station
268 – Golders Green Station to Finchley Road
288 – Queensbury to Broadfields Estate
298 – Arnos Grove to Potters Bar
303 – Edgware Station to Colindale
305 – Edgware Station to Kingsbury Circle
340 – Edgware Station to Harrow Bus Station
346 – Upminster Station to Upminster Park Estate
370 – Romford to Lakeside Shopping Centre
375 – Romford Station to Passingford Bridge
404 – Coulsdon to Caterham-on-the-Hill
406 – Kingston to Epsom
411 – Kingston to West Molsey
418 – Kingston to Epsom
428 – Erith to Bluewater Shopping Centre
463 – Coulsdon South Station to Pollards Hill
465 – Kingston to Dorking
467 – Hook to Epsom
470 – Colliers Wood Station to Epsom
492 – Sidcup Station to Bluewater Shopping Centre
499 – Gallows Corner to Heath Park Estate
626 – Finchley Central Station to Potters Bar
628 – Kingsbury to Southgate Station
631 – Golders Green Station to Henrietta Barnett School
641 – West Molesey to Teddington School
642 – West Hendon Broadway/Edgware Station to London Academy
653 – Muswell Hill Broadway to Kingsbury
683 – Friern Barnet to Kingsbury
688 – Southgate Station to Kingsbury
B12 – Erith to Joydens Wood
B13 – Bexleyheath Shopping Centre to New Eltham Station
B15 – Bexleyheath Shopping Centre to Horn Park
E10 – Northolt to Ealing Broadway Station
H2 – Golders Green Station circular (via Hampstead Garden Suburb)
H3 – Golders Green Station to East Finchley, Hilltop
H18 – Harrow Bus Station circular (via Pinner & Wealdstone)
H19 – Harrow Bus Station circular (via Wealdstone & Pinner)
K5 – Ham to Morden Station S1 – Banstead to Lavender Fields
S3 – Sutton Hospital to Malden Manor Station
X26 – West Croydon to Heathrow Airport
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