The five-day strike that paralysed much of London’s transport network has finally ended, but questions remain about whether this is the last of the disruption — or just another chapter in a dispute that shows little sign of being resolved.
The industrial action, led by the RMT union, officially ended at 08:00 BST on Friday. Transport for London (TfL) has warned that services will take time to recover, with residual delays expected across the Underground into the weekend.
For businesses, commuters and visitors, the strike has been bruising. Economists estimate it has cost London around £230m in lost productivity and spending, with hospitality alone taking a particularly heavy hit.
The Core Dispute
At the heart of the conflict is the RMT’s demand for a shorter working week. Union leaders want London Underground staff to move from 35 hours to 32 hours, framing it as part of a wider fight for fairer working conditions and better work-life balance.
Earlier in the talks, the union’s language was uncompromising. But in the past few days it has softened its stance, saying it is now open to “steps towards” a 32-hour week, rather than demanding an immediate cut.
TfL, however, has treated this as a red line. Officials argue that even a 30-minute weekly cut would cost £30m a year. Reducing hours to 32, they say, would cost more than £200m annually — money that would otherwise be spent on investing in services and infrastructure.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who stepped in during a previous strike in 2024 with £30m of emergency funding, has chosen not to intervene this time. His critics argue that decision allowed the strikes to drag on. But on Thursday, RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said he was pleased Khan had now encouraged TfL to meet the union for new talks.
“We are pleased to see finally that Sadiq Khan has instructed TfL to meet us,” Dempsey told the BBC. “Once we get a formal invitation, we will go straight back to talks and a resolution so we can get London moving again.”
TfL has since confirmed it will meet union representatives on Wednesday. It has stressed, however, that the talks were not prompted by a mayoral order.
The Cost to London
The impact of five days without a fully functioning Tube has been stark. The Centre for Economics and Business Research predicted that sectors from professional services to retail and hospitality would feel the effects. Those forecasts appear to have been borne out.
Hospitality businesses in particular reported a collapse in trade. Street food operator KERB, which runs markets across the capital, said its Seven Dials Market in Covent Garden saw a 60% drop in footfall compared with the same week last year. Four midweek lunch markets had to close altogether, costing around £40,000 in lost revenue for about 30 small traders.
Simon Mitchell, the company’s chief executive, described the strikes as “a hammer blow to London’s street food community” at a time when many traders were already struggling after a slow summer.
The trade body UKHospitality estimated the total hit to pubs, bars, hotels and restaurants could be as much as £600m, bringing the total losses since the start of the long-running dispute last year to more than £3bn.
Kate Nicholls, its chief executive, said:
“Our pubs, bars, coffee shops, hotels and restaurants, to name a few, continue to suffer as collateral damage. This level of disruption is unsustainable.”
How Londoners Adapted
Commuters once again showed their resilience in finding ways to cope. TfL data showed that Underground usage fell by 24%, while bus journeys rose by 5% compared with the same week last year.
The London Overground recorded a 20% jump in passengers, while the Elizabeth line saw a 26% increase, though several central London stations were forced to close at times due to staffing shortages.
Cycle hire also boomed. On Wednesday alone, there were more than 19,600 TfL bike hires, almost double the number recorded on the same day a week earlier.
Private e-bike firms saw some of the most dramatic surges. Lime reported a 74% increase in trips, a 40% rise in trip duration and a 35% jump in average distance travelled. Forest, another operator, said rides increased from 27,000 to 60,000 on Monday, and it expects total weekly use to be five times higher than normal.
The growth of e-bikes has led some to call this week the “coming of age” of the mode in London. Yet the boom has also created new challenges. Disability charities, including Guide Dogs, raised concerns about pavements being blocked by poorly parked hire bikes. Lime introduced “strike parking zones” in an effort to ease the problem, but critics said the measures were inadequate.
“Without stronger rules and enforcement, this free-for-all will continue to put blind and partially sighted people in danger,” Guide Dogs said.
The government has proposed licensing and tighter controls for rental schemes, though critics argue action is overdue.
Political Fallout
The political implications are also significant. With TfL warning that a shorter working week would drain funds, ministers face pressure to balance financial prudence with keeping London moving.
Khan’s decision not to intervene directly, unlike in 2024, has left him open to criticism. Some argue his earlier funding set a precedent that made negotiations harder this year, as unions expected mayoral support again.
Meanwhile, the government is watching closely. With the economy stagnating, ministers are eager to avoid further strikes that could dent business confidence and international perceptions of London as a place to work and invest.
What Happens Next?
Talks between the RMT and TfL are scheduled for Wednesday. Both sides say compromise will be necessary, though there has been little evidence of it so far.
If no progress is made, the union could call for another strike ballot. Under UK law, members must vote in favour of further action, and TfL must be given at least 14 days’ notice before new walkouts begin.
For now, Londoners will be hoping the return of Tube services holds. Bus strikes planned in north-west and south-west London this weekend have already been called off, easing pressure on the network.
But with both sides still far apart on the key demand of a shorter working week, few are ruling out further disruption in the months ahead.
The Bigger Picture
Beyond the immediate dispute, this week has underlined both the fragility and the resilience of London’s transport system. Fragile, because the city still depends so heavily on the Underground to move millions each day. Resilient, because commuters have shown they can adapt quickly — whether by using the Elizabeth line, Thameslink services, or the growing fleet of rental bikes.
It has also highlighted the economic vulnerability of small businesses in the capital, many of which cannot absorb repeated shocks. For traders, restaurateurs and hoteliers, the strikes have been another reminder of just how closely their fortunes are tied to the transport system.
