Back-to-school Chaos Looms Due to Bus Strike

Travel on first day of term to be hit by industrial action

London United Buses at a depot. Picture RATP

August 19, 2025

Nearly 2,000 bus workers across West and South West London are set to strike on Friday 29 August and Monday 1 September, in a dispute over backdated pay and changes to employment terms. The industrial action, organised by Unite the Union, will affect services operated by London United and London Transit—subsidiaries of First Bus—just as pupils return to school following the summer break.

The unions says that the dispute centres on the company’s refusal to fully backdate a new pay offer to the agreed anniversary date in December. Unite claims this would leave drivers hundreds of pounds short in back pay, following First Bus’s acquisition of the companies from RATP earlier this year. Additional grievances include attempts to alter pay anniversary dates and the removal of shift work premiums for some staff.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham described the employer’s actions as “underhand and disgraceful,” accusing the company of profiting from London passengers while disregarding its workforce. Regional officer Callum Rochford added that the strike was a response to tactics aimed at weakening union negotiations, stating that workers “won’t stand for them.”

The affected depots include Fulwell, Hounslow, Hounslow Heath, Park Royal, Shepherd’s Bush, Stamford Brook, Tolworth and Westbourne Park, covering approximately 90 routes across the capital.

Originally, Unite had threatened to stage strike action during the Notting Hill Carnival weekend, which runs from 23 to 25 August. However, the union has since rowed back on that plan, opting instead to target the start of the school term to minimise disruption to the major cultural event.

Further strike dates may be announced if the dispute remains unresolved.

The routes likely to be affected are as follows:

Services Operated by London United
Route number		Route name	Garage
13	North Finchley – Victoria		Westbourne Park
18	Sudbury – Euston		Park Royal
23	Westbourne Park – Hammersmith		Westbourne Park
33	Fulwell, South Road - Lonsdale Road, Castelnau		Fulwell
49	White City - Clapham Junction		Shepherd’s Bush
65	Kingston – Ealing Broadway Station		Fulwell
70	Chiswick Business Park – South Kensington		Shepherd’s Bush
71	Kingston – Chessington		Fulwell
72	East Acton - Hammersmith Bridge, North Side		Shepherd’s Bush
85	Kingston – Putney Bridge		Tolworth
94	Acton Green – Piccadilly Circus		Shepherd’s Bush
105	Heathrow Airport Central - Greenford		Hounslow Heath
110	Hounslow Bus Station – Hammersmith Bus Station		Hounslow
116	Hounslow Bus Station – Ashford Hospital		Hounslow Heath
117	West Middlesex Hospital – Staines		Hounslow
148	White City – Camberwell		Shepherd’s Bush
203	Hounslow – Staines		Hounslow
211	Hammersmith Bus Station - Waterloo Station		Stamford Brook
216	Staines – Kingston		Fulwell
218	North Acton – Hammersmith		Stamford Brook
220	Willesden Junction Station – Wandsworth		Park Royal
223	Wembley Central Station - Harrow Bus Station		Park Royal
224	Alperton - St Raphaels		Park Royal
228	Central Middlesex Hospital – Maida Hill		Park Royal
235	North Brentford Quarter - Sunbury Village		Hounslow Heath
258	South Harrow Station - Watford Junction		Park Royal
266	Acton, Town Hall - Brent Cross		Park Royal
272	Chiswick– Shepherd's Bush Green		Stamford Brook
281	Hounslow – Tolworth		Fulwell
283	East Acton – Hammersmith, Bus Station		Stamford Brook
290	Staines Bus Station - Twickenham Station		Fulwell
293	Morden Station - Epsom General Hospital		Tolworth
371	Richmond (Manor Circus) – Kingston		Fulwell
406	Epsom – Kingston via Ewell		Tolworth
411	West Molesey – Kingston		Tolworth
418	Epsom – Kingston via West Ewell		Tolworth
419	Richmond - Roehampton, Bessborough Road		Hounslow
423	Hounslow – Heathrow Airport (Terminal 5)		Hounslow Heath
440	Turnham Green - Wembley Stadium		Park Royal
465	Dorking – Kingston		Tolworth
467	Hook – Ewell – Epsom		Tolworth
613	Tolworth - Glenthorne School		Tolworth
639	Roehampton - St John Bosco College		Tolworth
655	Mitcham to Raynes Park High School		Tolworth
662	Surbiton Station - Holy Cross School		Tolworth
665	Berrylands Road - Holy Cross School		Tolworth
670	Roehampton - St John Bosco College		Tolworth
681	Hounslow – Teddington School		Fulwell
696	Hayes – Ruislip		Hounslow Heath
697	Hayes End – Ickenham		Hounslow Heath
C1	Victoria - White City		Shepherd’s Bush
E3	Chiswick - Greenford Broadway		Stamford Brook
H17	Harrow – Wembley Central Station		Park Royal
H22	Hounslow (Bell Corner) – West Middlesex Hospital		Hounslow
H37	Hounslow (Blenheim Centre) – Richmond (Manor Circus)		Hounslow
H98	Hounslow – Hayes End (Kingsway)		Hounslow
K1	New Malden Station – Kingston		Tolworth
K2	Hook Library – Kingston Hospital		Tolworth
K3	Roehampton Vale Asda - Esher High Street		Fulwell
K4	Mansfield Estate – Kingston Hospital		Tolworth
K5	Ham – Morden		Tolworth
KU1	Seething Wells - Roehampton Vale		Hounslow Heath
KU2	Clayhill Campus – Clayhill Campus (looped service)		Hounslow Heath
KU3	Seething Wells Campus – Roehampton Vale Campus		Hounslow Heath
N5	Edgware Station - Trafalgar Square		Edgware
N18	Trafalgar Square - Sudbury - Harrow Weald		Park Royal
N33	Fulwell - Hammersmith		Fulwell
N65	Chessington - Ealing Broadway		Fulwell
N72	Roehampton – East Acton		Shepherd’s Bush
N266	Hammersmith - Brent Cross		Park Royal

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Back-to-school Chaos Looms Due to Bus Strike

Travel on first day of term to be hit by industrial action

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