London’s Daily Commute Reinvented: Bikes and Boats Step In as Tube Workers Strike

With almost no underground trains running until Friday, Londoners scrambled for alternatives, driving a surge in shared bike use and river transport. Crowding and longer journeys on other parts of the city’s network became the new normal, Reuters reports.

The London-based Centre for Economics and Business Research estimates the strike will directly cost the city £230 million ($310 million), with millions more lost indirectly as commuting chaos ripples across businesses.

Electric bike operator Lime saw a 58% jump in trips during Monday’s morning peak compared to the same time last week. “Journeys were longer in both distance and duration,” a spokesperson said, “showing that many riders relied on Lime for their full commute, not just the first or last mile.”

Another bike-sharing firm, Forest, which operates 15,000 e-bikes, reported a 100% rise in rides between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. It expects 60,000 active users throughout the day, more than double its usual Monday volume of 27,000.

River transport also surged: Uber Boat by Thames Clippers added extra sailings, including a shuttle between Canary Wharf and London Bridge, as services became “busier than usual.”

The strike, called by the RMT union, focuses on pay, fatigue management, and shift patterns. Transport for London has offered a 3.4% pay rise, but the union demands shorter working hours.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who promised to tackle widespread strike action before his election, is now calling for a resolution as London navigates its busiest commuting week of the year.