On Tuesday, London commuters turned to bicycles, buses, and boats as a staff strike shut down the city’s Tube network for the second consecutive day.
With underground trains mostly non-operational until Friday, the demand for shared bicycle services and river transport spiked. Londoners sought alternative commuting methods, resulting in longer travel times and increased congestion on other transit systems.
The Centre for Economics and Business Research in London estimates the strike could directly impact the city’s economy by £230 million ($310 million), with additional indirect costs.
Lime, an electric bike operator in the city, reported a 58% rise in trips during Monday morning’s peak hours compared to the previous week.
“Journeys were extended in both distance and time, indicating many relied on Lime for their entire commute,” a Lime representative noted.
Forest, another bike-sharing company with 15,000 e-bikes in London, saw a 100% increase in rides from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. on Monday, forecasting 60,000 active users for the day—over twice its typical Monday count of around 27,000.
Uber Boat by Thames Clippers, a river bus service, reported being “busier than usual” and added extra sailings, including a shuttle between Canary Wharf and London Bridge.
The strike, organized by the RMT union, focuses on pay, fatigue management, and shift patterns. Transport for London has proposed a 3.4% pay increase, but the union seeks reduced working hours.
The government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who pledged to address strike actions across the economy prior to election last July, is urging a resolution.
