Tube strikes: Bike company offering free rides to Londoners during train and overground walkouts

A cycle company is offering Londoners free bikes to help them get around the city during the upcoming Tube and Overground strikes.

Dutch bike subscription company Swapfiets is helping commuters get to the office by offering them a free bike to use for the entire week between Wednesday, August 17, and Wednesday, August 24.

Transport workers on London Underground and Overground trains will stage a 24-hour walkout on Friday August 19, with services also affected on August 18 and 20 due to national rail strikes.

For commuters who would like to avail of the free service you can visit the Swapfiets Spitalfields store at 58 Commercial St E1 6LT with a photo ID to collect your free Deluxe 7 bike.

The bikes will be available to collect on August 17 ahead of the disruption and are free for seven days to keep London on the move.

Bicycles must be returned to the store by 6.30pm on Wednesday, August 24.

Katarina Hlavata, UK country manager at Swapfiets, said: “We know that for Londoners who rely on public transport for their daily commute to work, there’s nothing more frustrating than a Tube strike – which is why we want to provide 100 Swapfiets bikes on a first come first served basis to try and make life that little bit easier.”

She continued: “We hope by encouraging people to change their mode of transport for the strike, many Londoners will consider and appreciate the multiple health and environmental benefits of cycling as a longer-term alternative for their daily commute.”

What TfL services are affected by the strikes?

All London’s tube lines and the Overground are expected to be disrupted during the August 19 strike.

There will be a limited service in Zone 1 and some lines will be suspended entirely.

TfL is urging travellers to only travel if essential and to complete journeys by 6pm.

Buses in west and north west London will also be impacted.

The strike will impact the following routes: 18, 33, 49, 65, 70, 71, 72, 85, 94, 105, 110, 116, 117, 148, 203, 211, 216, 220, 223, 224, 235, 258, 265, 266, 272, 281, 283, 290, 293, 371, 404, 406, 411, 418, 419, 423, 440, 465, 467, 470, 481, C1, E1, E3, N9, N18, N33, N65, N72 and N266.

Will there be other tube strikes?

Separately, there will also be strikes affecting other rail services on August 18 and 20.

RMT members who work for Network Rail and 14 other train operators will walk out alongside members of the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA).