Where this week's Tube and train strikes will hit
Despite disruption to London transport being mostly avoided, planned industrial action may affect some services this month. Strike action on the London Underground was cancelled as progress was made in talks. The RMT union has a one-day strike planned for 29 July due to pay disputes, potentially impacting several rail services. Further disruptions may occur from 31 July to 5 August due to an ASLEF overtime ban. Some services are not expected to be affected.
Transport for London (TfL) has ordered the removal of an array of offensive Barbie-themed posters featuring Tory MPs from bus stops across London, believed to have been installed by anti-government protestors. The posters, depicting derogatory language towards MPs such as Suella Braverman and Rishi Sunak, were shared online by activist group, Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants. TfL has begun investigating how the protestors accessed the ad panels without breaking them. The number of posters and their locations are unknown, but one was sighted at a bus stop in Blackheath.
The Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) scrappage scheme in London will be extended on 31 July, confirmed Transport for London Commissioner Andy Lord. The scheme, which allows for trade-ins of non-compliant vehicles, will now support small businesses with fewer than 50 employees, charities, and families receiving child benefit. The scheme's extension is under criticism after impacting Labour's performance in a recent election, though Mayor Sadiq Khan pledged to continue. The ULEZ expansion, scheduled for 29 August, could see drivers paying a daily charge of £12.50 for non-compliant vehicles. A High Court judgement on the expansion's legality is expected at the end of the month.
Train drivers from 15 operators, including Avanti West Coast and Great Western Railway, are planning a week-long overtime ban due to a pay dispute. The action, organised by union Aslef, follows four previous week-long bans since May. The next ban, set to seriously disrupt services, will occur from 7-12 August. The union highlights that its members have not received a pay increase since 2019, despite a 12% rise in prices. Aslef's general secretary, Mick Whelan, stated a lack of fair pay and disregard by the employers and government have forced this action. He insisted on a "proper increase" for the workers.
London Luton Airport, initially a small airfield, marked its 85th anniversary this week. It commenced as a Royal Air Force base just before WWII, and by 1960 it was central to the package holiday sector. In the late 70s, plans were in place to accommodate up to 5 million passengers annually. The 'London' tag was added in 1990 to promote it as a capital gateway. The 90s saw modern additions such as a new control tower and the Luton Airport Parkway station. At present, Easyjet's headquarters is at Luton, and in 2019, a record 17.9 million passengers were recorded.
A London Labour councillor has written an open letter to party leader Sir Keir Starmer, criticising his comments on the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). Starmer, along with other party figures, blamed the ULEZ for Labour's failure to win a west London seat in a recent by-election. The councillor, Max Sullivan, defended the ULEZ as a necessary measure for improving air quality, and argued that Starmer's comments made the task of improving air quality more difficult. He urged the party leader to reassess his position. The ULEZ, which charges drivers of non-compliant vehicles, is set to expand in August.
Transport for London (TfL) has been directed to halt the sale of day travelcards from January. This decision is part of TfL’s funding agreement with the government aiming to increase revenue between £0.5bn and £1bn per annum from 2023. Though the termination could be reversed, it is anticipated that TfL will better generate income through ‘pay as you go’ (PAYG) methods, like Oyster or contactless payments, bringing in an estimated £40 million more each year. The move may affect visitors and disabled rail users who find the paper-based day travelcards more convenient. However, weekly and yearly travel cards will remain available.
The lack of fully accessible platforms at a new London railway station has been criticised as an "absolute scandal" by Caroline Pidgeon, a Liberal Democrat on the London Assembly. London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, has promised to intervene. The Elizabeth line station at Old Oak Common, set to be an interchange with High Speed 2 (HS2), may not have step-free access. This is despite all 41 Elizabeth line stations currently being step-free. The new station, slated to open in the early 2030s, will be a temporary terminus for HS2 trains from Birmingham.
In honour of the Barbie film's premiere, pink tributes have appeared across London, including a 'Barbiecan' Tube station image causing excitement on social media. Despite this, Transport for London has confirmed the image is photoshopped. The film premieres tonight (12 July) in Leicester Square, with stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling gracing the special pink carpet alongside director Greta Gerwig and co-stars America Ferrera, Issa Rae, and Simu Liu. Fans have been queuing since morning to see the cast. The fantasy-comedy officially releases on Friday, 21 July.
The High Court heard that Sadiq Khan's decision to expand the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) represented "uncharted territory" and was "problematic". Five councils, Hillingdon, Bromley, Bexley, Harrow and Surrey, claimed the scheme ignored non-Londoners and was not sufficiently clear for public consultation. The planned expansion from north and south circular roads to the whole of Greater London is slated for 29 August. Mr Justice Swift intends to rule by the end of the month.
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