A strike by London Underground drivers is set to cause significant disruption across the capital over the next four days, with no last-minute talks scheduled between Transport for London and the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT).
The walkout begins at midday on Tuesday, 21 April and will take place in two 24-hour phases—Tuesday and Thursday—creating knock-on disruption across four days.
How bad will it be?
Just under half of Tube drivers, those represented by the RMT, are expected to strike, while members of ASLEF will continue working.
- Tuesday & Thursday afternoons: Services heavily reduced, with most lines stopping by around 8pm
- Wednesday & Friday mornings: Limited services, with first trains not expected until around 7:30am
- Severely affected lines:
- No service expected on Piccadilly, Waterloo & City, and Circle lines
- Partial closures on Metropolitan and Central lines
Alternatives—but expect crowding
Other transport options will remain open, including the Overground, Elizabeth line, DLR, trams and National Rail—but all are likely to be extremely busy.
Buses will run as normal but face heavy demand and potential delays due to congestion. Walking and cycling may be more reliable for shorter journeys.
What’s behind the dispute?
The strike centres on working conditions rather than pay. The RMT is pushing for a 32-hour week, while TfL has proposed a voluntary four-day working pattern.
TfL says the plan would improve flexibility without reducing pay or requiring drivers to change contracts. However, the RMT has rejected the offer, with general secretary Eddie Dempsey accusing TfL of failing to make meaningful concessions.
ASLEF, by contrast, supports the proposal, saying it would give drivers more time off in exchange for modest operational changes.
More disruption ahead?
Previous strike action in March was called off to allow negotiations, but there are currently no signs of a breakthrough.
If the dispute remains unresolved, further strikes are already scheduled for May and June, raising the prospect of ongoing disruption for London commuters.
