London is gearing up for the return of the Strikelists

The first day of the London Underground strike is here – and travel anxiety is bubbling up as getting around is set to become like a round of Hunger Games.

Londoners will face almost four days of disruption as the Tube drivers’ strike goes ahead after the RMT union and TfL failed to resolve the stalemate over working hours.

Commuters lucky enough to work from home this week will hunker down to avoid the mayhem the best they can, but thousands will have to travel one way or another.

The majority of Tube lines will begin to shut down from midday, with the bulk of people turning to alternatives like the Elizabeth line, Overground, buses and rental bikes.

Follow our live coverage of Tube strike day one here

However, this isn’t Londoners’ first rodeo, and many have become savvy strike cyclists better known as strikelists.

Cycle lanes in central London were already packed this morning as people headed into offices, with glorious sunshine making the usual rush hour misery a little less dreary.

As pleasant as strikeling is, it is likely to stir up emotions when the already busy cycle lanes see a boom of inexperienced riders mixing with seasoned cyclists.

During last year’s Tube strike, cycling etiquette went out the window, with some reporting selfish action like pedal snatching as finding a bike became the survival of the fittest.

Bikes on standby for strikelist takeover

E-bike companies like Lime and Forest said they are on standby after seeing demand more than double during the September strike.

Since finding a working bike during the strike carnage can be like winning the jackpot, there are some measures you can take without causing a nuisance to fellow riders, including reserving a Lime bike beforehand.

Hal Stevenson, Lime’s UK director of policy, told Metro: ‘We’re proud to be helping so many Londoners get to where they need to be this week.

‘We know it can be a stressful time to get around when our bikes are in such high demand, so we’re asking everyone to ride safely and park responsibly.

‘A handy tip too – you can reserve bikes for 10 minutes in our app to avoid disappointment, or up to 30 minutes if you’re a LimePrime user.’

Forest said it has increased on-street resources, including upping battery swapping capacity by 80%.

Alex Berwin, Forest’s head of policy, said the company has also stepped up fleet distribution to ensure bikes are at demand hotspots.

He told Metro: ‘In particularly busy areas such as Westminster and in the City, our team of battery swappers are using pedal-powered cargo bikes to navigate congestion more easily. This enables faster battery swaps after the morning peak and helps maximise the availability of our bikes ahead of the evening rush.’

Bolt, which entered the London e-bike market last year, said it has expanded into two new boroughs – Westminster and Hammersmith & Fulham – ahead of the Tube strike.

It said it recorded a 685% spike in e-bike use during the September industrial action.

Bolt said it is the only operator with a distance-based pricing model, meaning riders can choose to pay per mile rather than per minute. Time-based pricing has been criticised for pushing riders to go faster and take risks.

Voi, which operates both scooters and e-bikes, said it will monitor usage in central London, and have rides close to major hubs and Tube stations.

Christina Moe Gjerde, Voi’s vice president for Northern Europe, said: ‘With great weather forecast, it’s a great opportunity for people to try out active travel. It will also be a reminder to Ministers to get on with pan-London licensing to solve the annoying patchwork of rules and to put in place permanent regulation on safe rental e-scooters.’

And it’s not just bike firms that are expecting a bonanza off the back of the Tube strike.

Ride-hailing firms like Uber and Bolt are also expecting to see a spike in demand this week, meaning finding a ride could take longer than usual. Surge pricing could also be in place during peak demand.

An Uber spokesperson said today: ‘We are expecting significant increases in demand as a result of strike action.

‘We are informing drivers of the expected increase in demand to help ensure there are enough cars out on the road.’

Black cab drivers told Metro that while the disruption is a ‘pain for people,’ their army of cars are ready to ‘pick up the pieces.’

‘Extra challenges for people with vision impairment’

Meanwhile, campaigners for people with sight loss urged strikelists to think about other commuters and those with vision impairment who might struggle on busy or blocked pavements.

One particular risk zone for blind or partially sighted people is the floating bus stops, where cyclists are required to stop by law to give way to pedestrians.

Clive Wood, Guide Dogs charity’s lead regional policy and campaigns manager, said: ‘The upcoming strike action across the TfL network is likely to create additional challenges for people with a vision impairment, as changes to usual routes and travel patterns make getting around more difficult.

‘Tube closures can lead to increased traffic, busier pavements, and more crowded public spaces and buses. We also expect greater use of e-bikes and e-scooters, and as we saw last year, many of these were poorly parked and blocked pavements, posing risks for pedestrians with sight loss. For some, these factors may make journeys feel unpredictable or unsafe, and may lead them to avoid travelling altogether, limiting their independence.

‘We’re asking commuters to remember that while trains may stop, the need for accessibility doesn’t. A small act like moving a hire bike or giving up a space or a seat can be the difference between a safe journey and a dangerous one for a person with sight loss.’

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