TfL’s travel advice for Piccadilly Line strike from Wednesday evening and all day Thursday, including buses, cycling, walking and driving
The Night Tube might be resolved (sort of) but that doesn't mean Londoners get away scot-free.
Unions are planning a strike that will take out the entire Piccadilly Line from 9pm tonight and all day tomorrow (23-24 March) – and Transport for London has just issued its latest travel advice for those affected.
Helpfully, the network suggests that customers should try to avoid travelling during peak times noting that other Tube lines will be much busier than usual
But it also has more specific guidance:
For customers travelling between Heathrow airport and central London, Heathrow Connect and Heathrow Express services will be available to and from London Paddington station.
Extra buses will be provided to help Londoners get around, though TfL reminds commuters who do not usually use them that buses do not accept cash, so customers will need to use their contactless debit or credit card, Oyster or bus & tram pass to continue their journeys.
Customers are advised to allow more time for their journeys if they take this option.
During the strike, TfL will restock cycle docking stations for Boris Bikes more frequently. Londoners who own a bike are being encouraged to cycle to work. Commuters are also being encouraged to walk if their journey allows it.
For those still hoping to use the Tube, interchange stations along the Piccadilly line – Finsbury Park, Green Park and King’s Cross St. Pancras stations in particular – will be much busier than usual.
Other lines that TfL is expecting to be most affected include the Central Line between White City and West Ruislip/ Ealing Broadway and between Bond Street and Liverpool Street, the Victoria Line between Seven Sisters and Victoria, the Metropolitan Line between Uxbridge and Baker Street, the District Line between Victoria and Acton Town, Ealing Broadway and Richmond, Circle and Hammersmith & City Lines between King's Cross and Hammersmith and the Northern Line on both the High Barnet and Charing Cross branches.
National Rail services including those operated by Great Northern, Chiltern Railways and South West Trains are also expected to be busier than usual.
The strike will even affect motorists, as roads in west and central London are also expected to be busy.
The Piccadilly line is expected to run a Saturday service on Friday 25 March as part of the Easter Bank Holiday arrangements, although customers are advised to check before they travel. There is also planned engineering work on much of the network throughout the Easter break.
Pat Hansberry, operations director for LU, said: “Our customers are advised to check our real-time travel tools, should the planned strike go ahead on the Piccadilly line from late tonight.
“This indefensible strike has been called to back drivers who refused to drive Piccadilly line trains on their shifts – without good reason – resulting in delays to our customers. That said, we remain available for talks and are keen for the union leaderships to engage with us, so that Londoners aren’t subjected to unnecessary disruption.”