Mind the Gap: Navigating London’s Travel Troubles During Next Week’s Tube Strike
Mind the Gap: Navigating London's Travel Troubles During Next Week's Tube Strike - Get Ready for Transportation Turmoil
As London prepares for yet another tube strike next week, commuters are bracing for transportation turmoil. On June 21st and 23rd, members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will walk out for 24 hours, grinding the underground to a halt. This will be the second round of strikes this month alone.
During previous RMT strikes, the tube ran at just 20% capacity, leaving many travelers stranded. Stations were closed, wait times ballooned, and overcrowding made social distancing impossible. The last major strike in March brought the city to its knees as traffic congestion skyrocketed. Bus journeys took 50% longer and some roads in central London became entirely gridlocked.
If this strike goes ahead as planned, Londoners should prepare for a frustrating few days of commuting chaos. Based on past strikes, expect tube stations to be extremely crowded with long queues just to get onto platforms. Finding an Uber or taxi will be difficult if not impossible, so brace yourself for endless waits if that's your backup plan.
Budget extra time for your commute, as journeys may take 2-3 times longer than normal. If your morning commute is usually 45 minutes, allow yourself at least 90 minutes just to be safe. Setting off earlier is wise to beat the crowds, even if it means waking up before sunrise. Pack your patience, as delays and disruptions are inevitable.
What else is in this post?
- Mind the Gap: Navigating London's Travel Troubles During Next Week's Tube Strike - Get Ready for Transportation Turmoil
- Mind the Gap: Navigating London's Travel Troubles During Next Week's Tube Strike - Seek Alternate Routes with Apps and Maps
- Mind the Gap: Navigating London's Travel Troubles During Next Week's Tube Strike - Bike, Walk, or Take the Bus if You Can
- Mind the Gap: Navigating London's Travel Troubles During Next Week's Tube Strike - Allow Plenty of Extra Time for Your Commute
Mind the Gap: Navigating London's Travel Troubles During Next Week's Tube Strike - Seek Alternate Routes with Apps and Maps
When the underground shuts down, technology can be a lifesaver for redirecting your journey. Transit apps like CityMapper and Google Maps offer real-time updates on tube disruptions and suggest alternate routes to get around the strike. They'll scan for available buses, trains, bikes, scooters, and more to piece together a new route for you.
CityMapper excels at this. During the last RMT strike, it provided minute-by-minute status updates on which stations were open and what lines were running. The app directed users to seek other transport methods, like buses, walking, and even ferries. When you enter your start and end points, CityMapper will analyze all options and propose the fastest new route.
You can also set CityMapper to avoid the tube network entirely. This forces it to get creative and seek out overlooked options you may not have considered. Suddenly, combining a bus ride with an e-scooter or short walk becomes your best bet. CityMapper may reveal bus lines, routes, and connections you never knew existed.
Google Maps offers similar capabilities. Enable the transit overlay to see suspensions and delays on the tube lines. Google will highlight affected routes in red, while suggesting alternatives in green. Use their estimated door-to-door travel times to compare options.
When a previous RMT strike crippled the Victoria Line, Google Maps guided commuters to circumnavigate the disruption. It directed travelers to connect to other lines at key interchange stations. Riders initially aiming for Victoria were rerouted to Northern, Jubilee, and other operational lines. This added time, but got them to their destination without chaos.
Both apps also incorporate real-time traffic data. They'll avoid congested roads and overloaded bus lines to optimize your revised journey. If Uber wait times rise during the strike, the apps will factor this in and may lead you to other services instead.
Those dependent on the tube during strikes should download CityMapper or Google Maps if they haven't already. Become familiar with these apps before travel disruptions hit. Experiment by entering different destinations to see the suggested routes.
Mind the Gap: Navigating London's Travel Troubles During Next Week's Tube Strike - Bike, Walk, or Take the Bus if You Can
When the tube shuts down, it's tempting to immediately book an Uber or hail the first black cab you see. But this actually exacerbates congestion and inflated fares worsen during strikes. If possible, spare yourself the stress and consider greener transport alternatives. Hoofing it or hopping on two wheels could get you to work surprisingly efficiently.
Walking offers a relaxing, self-powered way to reach your destination. Apps like CityMapper reveal handy pedestrian shortcuts through parks, quiet backstreets, and riverside paths. They'll plot scenic walking routes while avoiding packed main roads. What may seem far on the tube map is often walkable within 30-60 minutes.
Pack comfy shoes to traverse a few miles if needed. Drop by a local cafe enroute to reward your exercise with an energizing coffee. Turn on a podcast or music to make the stroll more enjoyable. The fresh air and steps also provide health benefits over being trapped underground.
Cycling can speed up longer journeys when rumbling along in traffic loses its appeal. Bike lanes help avoid chaotic roads during strikes, while apps adjust routes to use low-traffic neighborhood streets instead. With a travel time estimate, decide if cycling your commute is reasonable or if foldable bikes could assist multi-modal connections.
Santander Cycles and Uber Jump bikes are available for short rides if you don't own a bike. Pack lightweight layers to adjust for the weather and arrive refreshed. You'll fly by stationary vehicles while reducing emissions.
Finally, buses can substitute for absent tubes despite being more crowded than usual. Check apps to see if helpful express bus routes connect your stations. Top up your Oyster card and prepare to wait at bus stops, but this beats walking for hours. Seek out priority seating if your mobility is limited.
During the last strike, buses transported nearly double their normal passenger volume. Plan for packed buses with standing room only. Watch for schedule delays if roads are congested. Check apps regularly as bus routes or frequencies may shift to meet demand.
Mind the Gap: Navigating London's Travel Troubles During Next Week's Tube Strike - Allow Plenty of Extra Time for Your Commute
When strikes grind London's transport network to a halt, no one wants to be caught off guard and left stranded. Savvy commuters know it's essential to budget abundant extra time for your journey, even if it seems excessive. Don't cut it close and risk being late. You'll be grateful for the buffer when delays drag on.
During the last major RMT strike, some tube stations closed entirely while others operated with long queues just to access platforms. Trying to commute at peak times often proved impossible as overcrowding created severe delays. Many travelers found themselves stuck waiting for multiple trains just to board and begin their trip.
Frustrated commuters shared stories of transit trips taking 2-3 times longer than normal. One rider vented that their usual swift commute ballooned from 20 minutes to a painful 60+ minutes of jostling through crowds. Others warned of waits of up to 45 minutes just to reach the platform, only to discover packed trains with no room to board.
Even outside of strikes, London's transit faces frequent suspensions and delays. Ongoing maintenance issues plague the aging Northern Line, while signal failures often crop up unexpectedly. Track faults recently suspended the Circle Line at peak hours, forcing stressed commuters to improvise new routes mid-journey. With the network already fragile, strikes can wreak further havoc.
To avoid meltdowns, budget triple your typical travel time if possible. Aim to arrive absurdly early rather than cutting it close and panicking. If your regular commute is 45 minutes, depart at least 120 minutes before your start time to be safe. While this may seem ridiculous, you'll thank yourself when delays arise. Leaving ample time gives you breathing room and reduces stress when the situation deteriorates.
Think of it as riding out an upcoming storm - you stock up on essential provisions in advance knowing full well you'll be hunkering down for the duration. Treat a strike day like a snow day and get comfortable with waiting it out. Grab a coffee or breakfast to enjoy during your extended commute.
Travel gurus advise waking up before sunrise and setting off while streets are empty and crowds are low. Early risers encounter less competition for limited tube access and tickets. They also bypass evening rush hour chaos on their return trip home. Waking early is worth it to dodge the worst crowds, even if you snooze on the train.