The next strike in the ongoing dispute between KeolisAmeyDocklands and members of the RM union is due to start on Friday 20th April and last for four days – severely affecting the service planned for the London Marathon, one of the busiest days of the year for the DLR.
The strike will start at 0400 on Friday 20th April and continue until 0359 on Tuesday 24th April with only a very limited service able to be operated on the DLR network throughout this period.
Priority will be given to running a service to enable participants in the London Marathon to travel to ExCeL to register ahead of the event and for runners and their supporters to reach the race line in Greenwich on Sunday. Extra buses will also be in operation on all four days to try and ensure that the public can still travel around the area despite this incredibly disruptive action by the union.
Mark Davis, TfL interim General Manager of the DLR, said: “Millions of pounds are raised for charity at the London Marathon and we don’t want to see the thousands of people who have signed up to run, or their supporters, disrupted. We urge RMT and KeolisAmey Docklands to continue with discussions to settle their dispute. If this strike goes ahead, we will work hard to provide as much of a service as possible over the four days with a particular aim of helping runners and supporters get to the starting line on Sunday. Bus, Tube and rail services will operate as normal and we will have extra buses running along the DLR route. Customers are advised to check before they travel and allow extra time to make their journeys, while our Travel Ambassadors will be on hand to provide information and advice and help keep London moving.”
The dispute has been called as a result of a complete breakdown in relations between staff and KeolisAmeyDocklands with the RMT claiming their members are being “treated like dirt”. Previous attempts to resolve the dispute have proved unsuccessful and it is not thought further talks are penciled in before this latest four day stoppage.