London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Feb 09, 2026

Tube strike causes travel 'chaos' for commuters returning to work after Platinum Jubilee weekend

Tube strike causes travel 'chaos' for commuters returning to work after Platinum Jubilee weekend

London Underground advised people not to travel, warning of severe disruption across the network from the start of service on Monday until 8am on Tuesday.

People returning to work following the Platinum Jubilee bank holiday weekend have faced travel "chaos" as a Tube strike caused major disruption.

London Underground has advised people not to travel, warning of a severe impact on the network from the start of service on Monday until 8am on Tuesday.

Some 4,000 members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) are taking part in industrial action in a dispute over jobs and pensions.

The 24-hour walkout has caused problems for passengers across the network on the first working day after Platinum Jubilee celebrations over the four-day weekend.

Transport for London (TfL) said some train services will run but many stations, especially those in central and south London, will be closed, while others may only open for limited periods.

"Buses, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line and Trams are not affected by the industrial action and are running normally. However, they are busier than usual," TfL tweeted.

Downing Street condemned the "deeply disappointing" strike action on the London Underground.

"This sort of action is deeply disappointing and not what the public want to see, not what we want to see for businesses still trying to recover post-pandemic, people's lives being disrupted in London," the prime minister's official spokesman said.

"Obviously industrial relations at TfL (Transport for London) are a matter for TfL and the mayor but it's clear that under the current funding settlement TfL must take all reasonable steps to avoid industrial action."

Construction worker Miguel Basantes was stuck at Paddington station while trying to get to work in Hampstead.

The 54-year-old said the situation was "chaos".

He added: "In Liverpool Street there were crowds of people and I was waiting for 20 or 30 minutes.

"I don't know how to get to work."

Indian restaurant worker Kundan Darla, 25, said: "I think it is bad, I am too late for work."

Meanwhile, droves of frustrated passengers gathered around the entrance to Waterloo station.

In a domino effect, the strike has caused delays on London's roads, affecting private cars, commercial vehicles and buses.

People waiting at a bus stop in Paddington


The level of road congestion was 71% at 8am, up from 64% a fortnight earlier, according to location technology firm TomTom.

The figures represent the proportion of additional time required for journeys compared with free-flow conditions.

Transport for London (TfL) said no plans have been tabled on pensions or terms and conditions, insisting that no one will lose their jobs because of the proposals it has set out.

As part of previous funding agreements, the government has required TfL to work towards achieving financial sustainability on its operations by April 2023.

TfL has proposed not recruiting into around 500 to 600 posts as they become vacant.

There were long queues for London buses


The RMT said that, under current proposals, working agreements will be torn up and the looming threat to pensions remains in place.

General secretary Mick Lynch said: "We are demanding a direct face-to-face meeting with mayor Sadiq Khan to sort this mess out.

"There's no point in our union continuing to sit opposite management representatives who have neither the inclination nor the authority to negotiate a settlement, when the power lies with the mayor."

RMT members on the Tube are also taking action short of a strike, meaning station staff might not work overtime, until Sunday 10 July, which may result in short notice station closures.

Elsewhere, half-term holidaymakers have faced more travel disruption after the jubilee weekend with British travellers stranded abroad due to flight cancellations.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
China and UK Signal Tentative Reset with Commitment to Steadier, Professionally Managed Relations
UK Confirms Imminent Increase in ETA Fee to £20 as Entry Rules Tighten
UK Signals Possible Seizure of Russia-Linked ‘Shadow Fleet’ Tanker in Escalation of Sanctions Enforcement
Epstein Scandal Piles Unprecedented Pressure on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Leadership
UK’s ‘Most Romantic Village’ Celebrates Valentine’s Day and Explores the Festival’s Rich History
The Implications of Expanding Voting Rights to Non-EU Foreign Residents in France
Ghislaine Maxwell to Testify Before US Congress on February 9
Al.com Acquired by Crypto.com Founder for $70 Million
Apple iPhone Lockdown Mode blocks FBI data access in journalist device seizure
Belgium: Man Charged with Rape After Faking Payment to Sex Worker
KPMG Urges Auditor to Relay AI Cost Savings
US and Iran to Begin Nuclear Talks in Oman
Winklevoss-Led Gemini to Slash a Quarter of Jobs and Exit European and Australian Markets
Canada Opens First Consulate in Greenland Amid Rising Geopolitical Tensions
China unveils plans for a 'Death Star' capable of launching missile strikes from space
NASA allows astronauts to take smartphones on upcoming missions to capture special moments.
Trump administration to launch TrumpRx.gov for direct drug purchases
Investigation Launched at Winter Olympics Over Ski Jumpers Injecting Hyaluronic Acid
U.S. State Department Issues Urgent Travel Warning for Citizens to Leave Iran Immediately
Wall Street Erases All Gains of 2026; Bitcoin Plummets 14% to $63,000
Epstein Case Documents Reignite Global Scrutiny of Political and Business Elites
Eighty-one-year-old man in the United States fatally shoots Uber driver after scam threat
UK Royal Family Faces Intensifying Strain as Epstein-Linked Revelations Rock the Institution
Political Censorship: French Prosecutors Raid Musk’s X Offices in Paris
AI Invented “Hot Springs” — Tourists Arrived and Were Shocked
Tech Mega-Donors Power Trump-Aligned Fundraising Surge to $429 Million Ahead of 2026 Midterms
UK Pharma Watchdog Rules Sanofi Breached Industry Code With RSV Vaccine Claims Against Pfizer
Melania Documentary Opens Modestly in UK with Mixed Global Box Office Performance
Starmer Arrives in Shanghai to Promote British Trade and Investment
Harry Styles, Anthony Joshua and Premier League Stars Among UK’s Top Taxpayers
New Epstein Files Include Images of Former Prince Andrew Kneeling Over Unidentified Woman
Starmer Urges Former Prince Andrew to Testify Before US Congress About Epstein Ties
Starmer Extends Invitation to Japan’s Prime Minister After Strategic Tokyo Talks
Skupski and Harrison Clinch Australian Open Men’s Doubles Title in Melbourne
DOJ Unveils Millions of Epstein Files, Fueling Global Scrutiny of Elite Networks
France Begins Phasing Out Zoom and Microsoft Teams to Advance Digital Sovereignty
China Lifts Sanctions on British MPs and Peers After Starmer Xi Talks in Beijing
Trump Nominates Kevin Warsh as Fed Chair to Reorient U.S. Monetary Policy Toward Pro-Growth Interest Rates
AstraZeneca Announces £11bn China Investment After Scaling Back UK Expansion Plans
Starmer and Xi Forge Warming UK-China Ties in Beijing Amid Strategic Reset
Tech Market Shifts and AI Investment Surge Drive Global Innovation and Layoffs
Markets Jolt as AI Spending, US Policy Shifts, and Global Security Moves Drive New Volatility
U.S. Signals Potential Decertification of Canadian Aircraft as Bilateral Tensions Escalate
Former South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee Sentenced to 20 Months for Bribery
Tesla Ends Model S and X Production and Sends $2 Billion to xAI as 2025 Revenue Declines
China Executes 11 Members of the Ming Clan in Cross-Border Scam Case Linked to Myanmar’s Lawkai
Trump Administration Officials Held Talks With Group Advocating Alberta’s Independence
Starmer Signals UK Push for a More ‘Sophisticated’ Relationship With China in Talks With Xi
Shopping Chatbots Move From Advice to Checkout as Walmart Pushes Faster Than Amazon
Starmer Seeks Economic Gains From China Visit While Navigating US Diplomatic Sensitivities
×