Londoners flock to E-bikes, boats as tube strike chaos hits

As commuters sought other ways to get to work, Lime riders travelled longer and farther than usual, with trip durations rising 37% and distances up 24%.

Londoners turned to transportation alternatives in droves as a Tube strike shut down much of the Underground.

Public rental bikes, operated by Lime, are parked on a street during a strike by Tube workers in London. (Bloomberg)

Lime, the operator of rental e-bikes and e-scooters, said total trips during the four-hour morning rush on Monday jumped 58% from the same day a week earlier.

As commuters sought other ways to get to work, Lime riders travelled longer and farther than usual, with trip durations rising 37% and distances up 24%.

The surge came as limited Tube services ran during the peak commute hours, with widespread station closures across the capital. Underground lines were suspended again on Tuesday, with staff on the Docklands Light Railway also striking.

The labour stoppages are scheduled to last until Thursday.

Other alternative services also reported surging demand. Forest, an electric bike-sharing service, said trips at 9 a.m. on Monday were four times higher than normal. Uber Boat added an extra shuttle between Canary Wharf and London Bridge to carry office workers along the River Thames.

The RMT labor union wants better pay and working conditions. Downing Street has urged the union and Transport for London to “get back around the table” to resolve the dispute.