DLR strike 2018 latest: emergency travel warnings issued by transport bosses

Transport chiefs today issued emergency travel guidance as more than 350,000 passengers, mostly Square Mile commuters, were left not knowing if they will have a Docklands Light Railway service tomorrow and Thursday.

Talks to try and avert the 48-hour walkout by RMT staff from 4 am tomorrow broke up at Acas, the conciliation service, last night without agreement and resumed today.

The walkout, over a range of issues including an alleged “comprehensive breakdown in industrial relations,” will halt all DLR trains.

Services will also be affected on Good Friday morning.

Transport for London (TfL) said an extra 49 buses will be operating along key DLR routes.

Other TfL staff will be on duty at DLR stations to help commuters find additional routes – including cycling and walking – to their destinations. There will also be posters, digital boards and announcements at stations.

The Jubilee, Central, District, Hammersmith & City lines in East London and London Overground between Highbury & Islington and Surrey Quays will be much busier than usual.

Canning Town, Bank, Stratford, Canary Wharf, Canada Water and London Bridge stations will be “exceptionally busy.”

Those heading for London City Airport are advised to use the Jubilee line to Canning Town and then the bus.

Mark Davis, TfL’s interim general manager of the DLR, said if the strike goes ahead “it is unlikely that any DLR services will run.

“Our bus, Tube and rail services will be operating as normal and we will be running extra buses on key routes to help keep London moving.

“We urge the RMT and (operators) KeolisAmey Docklands (KAD) to continue with discussions in order to settle this dispute.”

Mick Cash, the RMT leader, said; “This dispute is over the fundamental issues of workplace justice, fairness, the outsourcing of key functions and sticking to agreements and practices that Keolis seem to believe they can trample all over.”

Abdellah Chajai, KAD managing director, said: “Meetings with the RMT to resolve these issues are continuing so the announcement of strike action is totally unnecessary."