Major Tube lines face 24-hour strike
- Transport for London is expecting widespread closures and delays across the Underground during a second 24-hour strike. - This is the second 24-hour strike, with disruption planned for Thursday, April 23, 2026. - Check live service updates and expect replacement buses, especially during morning and evening peaks (standard.co.uk).
London’s Underground is bracing for another day of major disruption on Thursday, April 23, as a 24-hour drivers’ strike begins at noon. (tfl.gov.uk) Transport for London said normal Tube service should run until mid-morning, then trains will ramp down before significant disruption hits all lines after 12:00 p.m. Any Tube services that do run are expected to finish early, and TfL is telling passengers to complete journeys by 8:00 p.m. (tfl.gov.uk) TfL expects no service at all on the Piccadilly and Circle lines, no Metropolitan line service between Baker Street and Aldgate, and no Central line service between White City and Liverpool Street. It said the whole Tube network will be affected, with fewer trains and crowded platforms where service remains. (tfl.gov.uk) The walkout follows a first 24-hour strike that ran from noon on Tuesday, April 21, to noon on Wednesday, April 22. Friday, April 24, is also expected to start badly, with no Tube service expected before 7:30 a.m. and disruption likely to continue into the afternoon and evening. (tfl.gov.uk) The dispute is between Transport for London and members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, which says drivers are resisting changes to working patterns. The union has accused TfL of trying to impose a four-day working week arrangement during talks. (independent.co.uk) TfL says the proposed four-day pattern would be voluntary, would not cut contractual hours, and would let operators keep a five-day week if they choose. Claire Mann, TfL’s chief operating officer, said the plan would add a day off for some drivers while matching working patterns used by other train operators. (independent.co.uk) The strike does not shut down all of London rail. TfL said the Elizabeth line, Docklands Light Railway, London Overground and trams are due to run normally on strike days, while most buses are also expected to operate as usual. (tfl.gov.uk) There is a separate bus strike in east London from 5:00 a.m. on Friday, April 24, to 5:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 25, on seven Stagecoach routes: 8, 25, 205, 425, N8, N25 and N205. TfL said routes 25 and 425 should run a near-normal service for most of that day. (tfl.gov.uk) More Tube strikes are already scheduled for May 19-20, May 21-22, June 16-17 and June 18-19. For Thursday, the practical message from TfL is simpler: check live status before leaving, expect long waits after noon, and use non-Tube routes where possible. (tfl.gov.uk)
