London train strikes: how will they affect commuters in the capital?

Londoners breathe a sigh of relief that there are currently no planned strikes on the London Underground, or any TfL services.

But that doesn’t mean your commute won’t be unaffected by other strikes around the country.

East Midlands Railway and Avanti West Coast both have industrial action planned for their members, with London Overground trains in particular likely to be busier on strike days as people seek alternate routes.

Here’s everything we know about upcoming rail strikes and how London commuters will be affected:

What train strikes planned will affect London commuters?

There are currently no strikes planned on the London Underground, Overground or TfL services but there are some upcoming strikes that will affect people getting in and out of London. East Midlands Railway (EMR) is currently on strike, with services yesterday and today (Monday, 18 October) affected by the action.

The last EMR trains from London St Pancras today leave at 3.31pm to Sheffield, 4.31pm to Derby and 5.05pm to Leicester. RMT members who work for Avanti West Coast will also be on strike this Saturday, 22 October, and on Sunday, 6 November, disrupting rail services from the midlands and north into London Euston.

Will there be further strikes this year?

With the cost of living crisis unlikely to abate anytime soon and train firms generally unwilling to offer pay rises that either meet or exceed the levels of inflation in the UK, it’d be a good bet to expect strike action for the foreseeable future.

RMT’s current strike mandate expires on November 24, but the union has balloted its members over six further months of industrial action and has urged them to vote in favour.

If it passes, we’re likely to see strike action continue until the end of May for its 40,000 members around the country, with the busy Christmas travel period potentially affected.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “This is your chance to keep up the pressure on the employers and a Government that wants to strip out staff from the rail network, close ticket offices and cut maintenance and service levels in the drive for profit.”

He continued: “The employers and the Government need to understand that our industrial campaign will continue for as long as it takes.”