The London Underground was largely suspended for a fifth consecutive day as Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union members continued strike action over pay and working hours, forcing commuters to rely on the Elizabeth line, Overground services, buses, bicycles and walking.
The strikes have intensified political pressure across the capital, with the Conservative shadow transport secretary, Richard Holden, blaming Chancellor Rachel Reeves for the disruption and calling her the "real villain." The RMT has rejected a 3.4 percent pay offer from Transport for London (TfL) and is also campaigning to reduce members' contracted 35-hour weeks, a demand TfL says it cannot afford.
Almost the entire Underground network was suspended again during morning peak, with shuttle services running only on parts of three lines: the District line between Upminster and Whitechapel, the Metropolitan line between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Baker Street, and the Piccadilly line between Acton Town and South Harrow. The Bakerloo, Central, Circle, Docklands Light Railway, Hammersmith & City, Jubilee, Northern, Victoria and Waterloo & City lines were fully suspended. TfL reported that the Elizabeth line and London Overground were operating but considerably busier than usual.
RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey urged London Mayor Sadiq Khan to convene talks to resolve the dispute. Speaking to delegates at the Trades Union Congress in Brighton, he said the mayor should invite union leaders to a meeting rather than post on social media, and warned of further strike action if a resolution is not reached. "We take no pleasure in causing disruption but we make no apology for fighting for our members," he said.
Mr. Holden said the strikes illustrated what he called "Labour Britain in miniature," arguing that the government’s funding decisions had emboldened unions. "We warned this would happen," he told the Express, adding that rising borrowing and an alleged fiscal shortfall would ultimately translate into higher taxes. His comments were echoed by Conservative critics who have pressed for a tougher stance in negotiations and publicly mocked Mr. Khan's handling of the dispute.
TfL provided figures for typical pay grades, which it said contextualise its position that a 35-hour working week is unaffordable. TfL's published pay bands show station staff in training at about £35,270, fully qualified station staff at £44,140, mechanical workers at about £52,679, track workers at about £57,601 and drivers at about £71,160. The RMT has argued that current pay levels do not match the cost of living in London; Mr. Dempsey told Times Radio that drivers could not afford houses in the capital on salaries around £72,000.
There was no immediate sign of talks resuming. The union said it could extend strikes to the Elizabeth line, a move that would further disrupt east-west routes across the city. Separately, a planned bus workers' strike affecting about 60 routes in parts of west and north-west London was largely called off, the Unite union said.
Economic and commercial effects were already evident. The Centre for Economics and Business Research estimated the direct impact of the week's RMT action at about £230 million to the London economy, with additional indirect costs to businesses. Hospitality operators warned that sustained disruption could lead to job losses, while footfall in central London remains depressed during strike days.
Commuters adopted a range of alternatives, driving up demand for hire bikes and e-scooters. Lime reported a surge in e-bike journeys during morning peaks: trips rose 58 percent on Monday and 50 percent on Tuesday compared with the previous week, and by the following day total trips were 74 percent higher week-on-week. Average trip durations and distances also increased, indicating many users were relying on e-bikes for whole commutes rather than just first- or last-mile travel. Lime said it had increased operations across the city to meet demand.
The rise in micromobility use has drawn criticism from taxi drivers and others concerned about safety and pavement obstruction, and the City of London Corporation has previously seized e-bikes it said were blocking pavements. The London Taxi Drivers' Association called the surge a "kamikaze race," saying some riders were flouting traffic rules and creating hazardous conditions.
The strikes have reignited debate over automation on the Underground. Some analysts and politicians have renewed calls for driverless trains across more lines, noting that the Docklands Light Railway has operated without drivers since 1987. Conservative figures have long advocated driverless technology as a condition of future TfL funding, but unions have opposed the move on safety grounds. TfL has said converting lines would be enormously costly, estimating that automation could run into billions of pounds and noting a previous estimate that upgrading three of the oldest lines could cost about £20 billion. Mayor Khan said last year that plans for driverless trains would not be progressed further.
As the city enters another day of reduced Tube services, commuters and businesses face ongoing disruption while talks remain stalled. Union leaders have called for a summit with the mayor and TfL, and both sides have so far stood by their positions as transport networks across London continue to feel the impact.