London Overground Windrush Line strikes 2026: Essential Travel Guide

London commuters face significant disruption as the RMT union has announced industrial action affecting the London Overground. This dispute specifically targets the Windrush Line, with signallers and telecom staff planning 24-hour strikes across three months in early 2026.

The strikes stem from a disagreement over pay and conditions between the union and Cleshar CS Ltd, which is a Transport for London subcontractor. If you rely on the orange line to travel across South and East London, you should prepare for no service on the affected dates.

London Overground Windrush Line strike dates 2026

The RMT has confirmed three initial strike dates:

• Thursday, 26 February 2026
• Thursday, 26 March 2026
• Thursday, 23 April 2026

Work stoppages will likely cause disruption into the mornings following each strike date as staff return to their shifts.

Impacted Windrush Line Routes

The industrial action is limited to the Windrush Line. Passengers should expect no service or extremely limited trains on the route connecting:

• Highbury & Islington
• Whitechapel
• Canada Water
• Clapham Junction / West Croydon

Other London Overground lines are expected to operate normally. However, interchanges like Canada Water and Whitechapel will be much busier than usual as travellers seek alternative routes.

Alternative travel options

For those travelling between Canada Water and East London, the Jubilee Line is the most direct alternative. The Elizabeth Line remains available at Whitechapel for East-West travel across the city. Local bus networks will likely be crowded, so you should allow at least double your normal travel time for any journey into the City or Docklands.

Check the official TfL website for live updates closer to 26 February to ensure your journey is possible.