I won’t comment on the politics of strikes. I won’t mention the misery of some poor London commuters. I will refrain from commenting on the loss of evening trade to the West End.
But today, for me, there was an upside to the tube strike. Needing to be in the City for 830am I arose extra early and left the house to walk through the silent mist to the station at 630am. It was peaceful. Being on such an early train I managed to get a seat – for the first time in ages. So I got to read my Metro in comfort.
Things were a little busier at Waterloo. Yet the harassed commuters remained stoic. Although there were a couple of instances of elbowing, in the main folk were polite and courteous - even allowing others to step onto the escalators in front of them.
Knowing that it can be a bit of a scrum on the buses during strikes I decided to walk. So along the South Bank I went. The sunshine was starting to burn off the mist and it sparkled on the water. It took just 25 minutes of riverside strolling to get to Blackfriars. And I had time to admire this great City of ours as I walked. And that will be less time at the gym later thank you very much. Why do I take the bus each day which takes a little longer?
Having arrived rather early I was able to sit in the comfort of a coffee bar and actually savour my cappuccino for once. I even chatted to some of the folk in the coffee bar. There were 18 people due at my meeting – half of them from out of town – from places as far flung as Bristol, Northampton, Lincoln, Birmingham and even Jersey. We were pretty much all arrived and ready to go early. And there was no need to break the ice as stories were swopped of innovative walking routes, cycling adventures and sofa surfing with friends.
One even gave me their checklist for travelling during a tube strike:
• Allow plenty of time
• Plan your route and watch for sign posts
• Check your smart phone has enough power for GPS directions
• Wear comfortable shoes – no heels
• Dress for all eventualities of weather
• Enjoy the freedom to smoke while walking outdoors
• Check your app to see how many calories you burn
• Enjoy discovering new London places that you’d miss if underground
When my meeting finished after lunch I emerged into bright, warm sunshine and it was as if everyone in London was out on the streets. I swear there was a holiday feel to the place.
Bewildered tourists were helped as commuters explained bus routes and pointed out directions. Deciding that the buses were less likely to be busy half way through the day, I jumped onto an ancient Routemaster. This is travelling in style. Yes, the traffic was a bit slow but guess what? My fellow passengers did that most unBritish of things and actually chatted!
As I walked across Covent Garden it seemed like business as usual – there were shoppers, workers, tourists, school kids queuing up outside theatres and crowds everywhere. Maybe it was the sunshine that coaxed out those smiles. Or maybe it was the spirit of London reminding us that there’s always a silver lining.
