Stations deserted as Londoners opt to work from home during rail strike

Many London stations were deserted as people worked from home

London commuters appeared to take the sting out of the rail strike by voting with their feet to work from home.

The RMT walkout brought most of the Underground to a standstill and forced train companies to cut their services by 80%.

But roads into the capital were less busy than expected and there was little evidence of overcrowding on the limited number of commuter trains.

ITV News travelled on a rush hour train from Maidenhead, Berkshire to Paddington. Most passengers were able to get a seat.

The Elizabeth Line ran a normal timetable between Paddington and Abbey Wood with trains every five minutes.

Above: Elizabeth line trains at a London depot

But Transport for London warned trains on the central section would stop at 7pm.

Long queues formed at some bus stops but even at mainline stations there was little sign of the chaos usually seen on Tube strike days.

Some parts of central London took on the appearance of a Covid lockdown with pavements far less busy than for a normal Tuesday.

Many Londoners, it seems, followed TfL’s advice to avoid travelling. WFH may have changed the impact of transport strikes forever.

Train strikes: Which unions are involved and what do they want for members?

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...