Capital facing chaos as Tube drivers, teachers, and junior doctors walk out

How will strikes affect London’s transport network today?

Tube

• Little or no service expected across the Tube network
• Those who need to travel by other means are advised to allow more time for their journey

London Overground

• Services expected to run as normal
• Expected to be busier than usual, with queuing systems in place
• Some services will be unable to stop at all stations due to Tube closure

Elizabeth line

• No service between Paddington and Abbey Wood/Stratford before 7.30am or after 10.30pm
• Tube station closures may mean some services can’t stop at all usual stations
• Services expected to be busier than usual, with possible queueing systems

DLR and trams

• Services expected to run as normal
• No step-free access at Bank DLR. Must be accessed via Monument entrance, if station is able to open

Buses

• Expected to run as normal
• Services will be much busier than usual, particularly from mainline stations

Met Police forensics specialists to be hit by strike action today

Met Police staff including crime scene examiners and other forensic specialists are due to walk out today, as members of the Prospect trade union take strike action.

Scotland Yard acknowledged this “may cause concern for members of the public” about how police will manage to attend crime scenes, process examinations and deal with calls.

The force assured it has “put several measures in place to mitigate the reduction in staff”.

It said that in “non-urgent” cases, people may be asked to “preserve some items and surfaces” until experts can attend tomorrow.

“We appreciate that a period of waiting may cause concern, but we are committed to reducing and managing the impact of the strike action to ensure we continue to do all we can to support victims, investigations and maintain key evidence capture in our pursuit to bring offenders to justice,” said a spokesperson.

“We will prioritise our response and support in attending the most serious crime scenes, and undertake urgent and critical laboratory, and digital forensic examinations, making best use of staff on duty to cover as many scenes and requests as quickly as we can.”

More Tube strikes ‘very likely’, says union organiser

Finn Brennan, district organiser for the London underground for train driver union Aslef, has told radion station he thinks more strikes are “very likely unless there is a change of course from the Government who are pulling the strings at TfL”.

“And unless London underground is properly funded, so we can deliver a decent service for the people of London,” he added.

Mr Brennan earlier praised all unions striking today for timing their strikes to be simultaneous.

“It is rock solid action,” he said. “All of these strikes come from the same root cause: the failure by the Government to fund the vital public services that people need.”

Tube workers not striking for more pay, says Aslef organiser

An Aslef organiser has denied that London underground workers are striking to earn more pay.

Finn Brennan, its district organiser for the London underground, told LBC: “This is actually the first time Aslef have taken action across the underground since 2015. It comes after our members voted by 99 per cent in favour of the strike.

“It is not a strike about pay, it is not a strike looking for more time off.

“We simply want TfL to commit to negotiate with us about changes instead of trying to impose changes.

“There is a huge hole in TfL’s budget as a result of the pandemic and they want to fill that by cutting staff numbers, cutting working conditions and crucially cutting staff pensions.

“We have always said we are prepared to negotiate change but quite understandably and quite rightly our members are not prepared to pay the price for the hole that has been left in TfL’s budget by the Government’s failure to properly fund public transport in London.”

Pictured: Southwark among central London Tube stations to shut

Travellers arriving in UK warned of long queues amid Border Force walkout

The government has warned travellers arriving in the UK today to expect long queues as Border Force staff join the huge day of cross-sector industrial action.

Every airport and port in the UK is due to be affected as more than 130,000 Public and Commerical Services (PCS) Union members at government departments and agencies – including Border Force – walk out until around 7am tomorrow.

People travelling into the UK “should be prepared to face longer wait times at UK border control” and should check with their travel providers before travelling, the government has said.

Read more here.

Who is striking today, and how will it affect me?

Hundreds of thousands of workers from several trade unions will strike on Wednesday in what threatens to be the biggest single day of industrial action since the current wave of unrest started last year.

Junior doctors, teachers and civil servants are striking today along with Underground workers, in another so-called ‘Walkout Wednesday’ that is expected to bring wide-scale disruption.

For a full breakdown of the strikes, and information on how they will affect Londoners, read our wrap here.

Photos show Underground stations shut, commuters piling onto buses

Huge day of strikes begins

Good morning, and welcome to the Standard’s live blog.

Today we’ll be bringing you everything you need to know as Tube staff, junior doctors, teachers and civil servants including Border Force staff stage a huge day of strike action.

Follow along for all the latest updates.