London Underground tube and bus drivers' salaries in full amid pay strike

London is bracing for travel chaos this week as planned strikes over pay, shift patterns and fatigue management are set to disrupt the Underground tube lines.

Transport for London (TfL) confirmed that from Sunday, 7 September until Thursday, 11 September, tube services will be "severely disrupted, with little to no service expected". There will also be no DLR (Docklands Light Railway) service on Tuesday, 8 September and again on Thursday, 11 September.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, which represents tube drivers, said they were taking industrial action over "pay, fatigue management, extreme shift patterns and a reduction in the working week". They also confirmed that DLR staff would be striking in a separate dispute "over pay and conditions".

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In addition to this, bus routes across London were disrupted due to strike action on First Bus services that took place from August 29 to 30, and again from September 1 to 2. Thousands of bus drivers, engineers and controllers at London United and London Transit, both linked to parent company First Bus London, are said to have taken action over "low pay and awful conditions".

As strikes continue across London this week, we've taken a look at what London tube and bus drivers earn. Here's everything we know...

What do TfL Underground tube drivers earn?

According to The Standard,a recent Freedom of Information (FOI) request to TfL revealed that the yearly wage for a TfL tube operator, also known as a driver, in April 2024 was £65,179, while advanced operators pocketed £75,677.

The standard hourly rate for a regular operator was £35.70, while advanced operators took home £39.20 an hour. The overtime rate per hour for a standard driver was disclosed as £44.62 and £49.00 for advanced drivers.

It was also revealed that tube drivers typically work around 35 hours a week over roughly three and a half shifts.

What do TfL bus drivers earn?

TfL bus drivers are reported to earn between £15 and £20 an hour, depending on their experience. This is estimated to earn them around £31,000 to £37,440 annually.

What do Elizabeth line drivers earn?

Drivers on the Elizabeth line are reported to earn significantly more than the average tube driver after they secured a deal in February to boost their salaries to £75,000.

Amid the upcoming planned strikes, TfL confirmed that the Elizabeth line, London Overground, and trams will continue to run as their staff belong to a different union. However, they've cautioned that despite the services running as usual, they are expected to be extremely busy.

It's also crucial to note that the Elizabeth line or the Overground may not stop at certain stations if they are shut due to the industrial action. Moreover, planned engineering works are scheduled on some Overground and Elizabeth lines during the strikes.

Everyone is urged to check their journey before they travel when using any service. You can do this on the TfL website here.

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