American drivers will go on strike next weekend, affecting a number of bus routes serving the Notting Hill Carnival.
This industrial action is the latest in a series of strikes by train and bus drivers this summer.
Rail workers went on strike for several days in August in a dispute over pay and working conditions. Members of the RMT, ASLEF and TSSA unions walked out following strike action in June and July.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said “this dispute is not going to just go away” and called on the rail industry and government “to get serious about delivering a pay offer that helps tackle the cost of living crisis, job security for our members and provides good working conditions.”
Mick Whelan, general secretary of ASLEF, said union members had been “forced into this position by the rail companies led by the Tory government” and that “strike action is now the only option available”.
On strike days, only about a fifth of normal services ran and half the lines were closed. But more strikes have been announced for the end of this month.
Find out below when the next transport strikes are and which services will be affected.
When are the next bus strikes in 2022?
London bus drivers will strike in west and south-west London and parts of Surrey on Sunday August 28 and Monday August 29, following a month of strikes affecting buses, trains, the Tube and the Overground.
This strike is expected to affect 63 routes, which is 10 per cent of the bus network, including some that serve Notting Hill Carnival.
Buses will be affected from 5am on Sunday, all day on Monday until 6am on Tuesday. Although Saturday night buses are expected to run as normal, they will not run on Sunday or Monday evening.
The following routes are affected: 9, 18, 33, 49, 65, 70, 71, 72, 85, 94, 105, 110, 116, 117, 148, 203, 211, 216, 220, 223, 224, 235, 258 , 265, 266, 272, 281, 283, 290, 293, 371, 404, 406, 411, 418, 419, 423, 440, 465, 467, 470, 481, C1, E1, E3, H17, H22, H32 , H37, H91, H98, K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, S3, N9, N18, N33, N65, N72, N266 and S3.
Louise Cheesman, director of buses at TfL, said: “There will still be options for people to travel in west and south-west London and parts of Surrey, but other routes may be busier than normal.
“We encourage everyone who intends to travel in and around these areas this Sunday and Monday to plan ahead, check before traveling and allow more time for their journeys.
“Our website is a really easy way to check your journey, whether you’re planning to visit Notting Hill Carnival, out over the bank holiday weekend or just need to adapt your journey on the fly.
“We encourage both parties to find a resolution to this dispute to avoid disruption for Londoners.”
When were the train strikes in August?
Train strikes took place on 13 August, 18 August and 20 August, following strikes on 27 July and 30 July.
Machinists at nine rail companies were on strike over pay, their union Aslef announced. The companies affected by this industrial action were Arriva Rail London, Chiltern Railways, Greater Anglia, Great Western, Hull Trains, LNER, Southeastern, London Overground and West Midlands Trains.
Then there were more RMT strikes on 18 and 20 August.
The companies affected by this strike are Network Rail, Chiltern Railways, Cross Country Trains, Greater Anglia, LNER, East Midlands Railway, c2c, Great Western Railway, Northern Trains, South Eastern, South Western Railway, Transpennine Express, Avanti West Coast, West Midlands Trains, London Overground and GTR (including Gatwick Express).
In addition, union members on seven train services, including Northern and Greater Anglia, served strike notices on August 18 and 20.
The TSSA has warned of strikes at seven train operating companies in a dispute over pay, job security and conditions in the rail industry.
In addition, London Underground and Overground staff went on strike on 19 August, while London bus drivers walked out on the same day in a separate strike.
United Kingdom: Tube, Overground and Bus Strikes on London Underground | Friday, August 18, 2022
Why were there train strikes?
The RMT is striking in a dispute over ‘job security, pay and working conditions’.
RMT’s Mick Lynch said: “The latest proposals from Network Rail have fallen short in terms of pay and safety around maintenance work. And the train companies didn’t even offer us pay in the last negotiations.”
ASLEF’s Mick Whelan said: “Drivers at the companies we are striking at have had real pay cuts for the last three years – since April 2019.
“And these companies are not offering us anything, saying their hands are tied by the government.
“That means, in real terms, with inflation expected to be 9%, 10% and even 11% this year, depending on which index you use, that they are being told to take a real pay cut.” And that is not acceptable.”
He added: “Strikes are always a last resort.
“We don’t want to inconvenience passengers – our friends and family also use public transport – and we don’t want to lose money by going on strike, but we’ve been forced into this position by the companies who say they’ve been pushed into this by the government .”