London is set to grind to a halt next week during a Tube strike on the entire network, but rental e-bikes are on standby if it goes ahead.
Time is running out for Transport for London and RMT union to find a solution to the Tube drivers’ dispute over hours.
At the moment, the Tube strikes are set to go ahead next week from Tuesday until Friday across the capital, and some days will have the double whammy of bus strikes too.
Further industrial action is in the pipeline for May and June.
Here is a roundup of what to expect next week – and how to work around the havoc.
When is the next Tube strike?
Although there are some gaps in how the strikes will run, in a nutshell, passengers should prepare for disruption throughout the dates.
The first wave of strikes will start from mid-morning on Tuesday, April 21, and last until midday on Wednesday, April 22.
TfL says services are expected to recover throughout the afternoon, but some disruption is likely until the evening.
On Thursday, April 23, the London Underground will begin to close from later morning, with ‘significant’ disruption on all lines until midday, Friday, April 24, TfL warned.
While services are set to begin recovering on Friday afternoon and evening, if you can work from home, this is definitely the time to do so.
The Elizabeth line, Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and the Overground will run as normal, but they will be extremely busy.
Rental e-bikes on ‘standby’ for Tube strikes
Strikelists dominated the streets of London during the week-long strike last autumn, with emotions running high over riding etiquette and even snatched pedals.
And next week could see another rush for Santander, Lime and Forest bikes.
Lime has stepped up its operations to meet increased demand next week, including increased foot patrols and drivers on standby to boost batteries and balance out overcrowded bays, Metro understands.
Alex Berwin, head of policy at Forest, which runs a fleet of e-bikes in 18 London boroughs, told Metro that all hands are on deck to prepare for an expected spike in demand, especially at known hotspots like stations and commuter hubs.
Last year’s strike saw demand more than double during rush hour, and a similar trend is expected next week, he said.
