Commuters, brace yourselves – another London bus strike is on its way. Here are the routes affected and companies taking part
Bus commuters should brace themselves for the third strike in a month as nine operators plan yet more action over pay disputes.
Transport for London is preparing for another 24 hours of major disruption on Friday February 13, followed by a fourth day of action on the following Monday (February 16).
The transport group said the strike – over the pay disparity that results in 80 different pay rates ranging from £9.30 an hour to £12.34 – would affect services from 4am on Friday morning and run until around the same time on Saturday morning.
The bus companies likely to be affected include Abellio, Arriva, CT Plus, Go Ahead, London Sovereign, London United, Metroline, Stagecoach and Tower Transit. The list of bus routes that are not affected follows at the end of this article.
Bus services over the weekend will be unaffected, and all of TfL’s other public transport services will be operating as normal should the planned action go ahead. Londoners are also being encouraged to walk, run or cycle into work as an alternative.
Mike Weston, TfL’s Director of Buses, said: “I am very sorry that the leadership of Unite again seems intent on disrupting the journeys of bus passengers and losing bus drivers even more pay. We urge Unite to call off the strikes and instead meet with the bus companies individually to resolve their differences.
“Only 16 per cent of bus drivers voted for strike action and many more buses ran last week compared to January’s strike.”
Last week TfL claimed that around half of all buses ran in defiance of the strike.
However Unite, which is organising the action, dismissed that, saying there was “solid support” for the strike with up to 20,000 workers walking out, and picket lines outside 70 bus garages.
Unite regional officer Wayne King said TfL was “wildly optimistic with its claims of the number of buses running”.
Here's the list of routes expected to be affected:
66 – Romford Station to Leytonstone bus station
142 – Watford Junction to Brent Cross Shopping Centre
160 – Catford to Sidcup Station
258 – Watford Junction to South Harrow Station
268 – Golders Green Station to Finchley Road
288 – Queensbury to Broadfields Estate
298 – Arnos Grove to Potters Bar
303 – Edgware Station to Colindale
305 – Edgware Station to Kingsbury Circle
340 – Edgware Station to Harrow Bus Station
346 – Upminster Station to Upminster Park Estate
370 – Romford to Lakeside Shopping Centre
375 – Romford Station to Passingford Bridge
404 – Coulsdon to Caterham-on-the-Hill
406 – Kingston to Epsom
411 – Kingston to West Molsey
418 – Kingston to Epsom
428 – Erith to Bluewater Shopping Centre
463 – Coulsdon South Station to Pollards Hill
465 – Kingston to Dorking
467 – Hook to Epsom
470 – Colliers Wood Station to Epsom
492 – Sidcup Station to Bluewater Shopping Centre
499 – Gallows Corner to Heath Park Estate
626 – Finchley Central Station to Potters Bar
628 – Kingsbury to Southgate Station
631 – Golders Green Station to Henrietta Barnett School
641 – West Molesey to Teddington School
642 – West Hendon Broadway/Edgware Station to London Academy
653 – Muswell Hill Broadway to Kingsbury
683 – Friern Barnet to Kingsbury
688 – Southgate Station to Kingsbury
B12 – Erith to Joydens Wood
B13 – Bexleyheath Shopping Centre to New Eltham Station
B15 – Bexleyheath Shopping Centre to Horn Park
E10 – Northolt to Ealing Broadway Station
H2 – Golders Green Station circular (via Hampstead Garden Suburb)
H3 – Golders Green Station to East Finchley, Hilltop
H18 – Harrow Bus Station circular (via Pinner & Wealdstone)
H19 – Harrow Bus Station circular (via Wealdstone & Pinner)
K5 – Ham to Morden Station
S1 – Banstead to Lavender Fields
S3 – Sutton Hospital to Malden Manor Station
X26 – West Croydon to Heathrow Airport