Most of the Docklands Light Railway is closed today, as two 24-hour strikes start. The dispute over pay is between the RMT and the operator Keolis Amey Docklands, which runs the system under contract to Transport for London. TfL said trains are running only between Canning Town and Beckton. A second walkout is planned for tomorrow, and there could also be some disruption early on Thursday morning.

Strike law

Today’s King’s Speech is expected to outline plans for a new law which will force unions to provide a 40 per cent service during rail strikes. The RMT has labelled Minimum Service Levels legislation as ‘an assault on the fundamental freedoms of working people’. General secretary Mick Lynch warned that such a law could cause more strikes, and added: ‘We believe employers have the discretion not to issue minimum service work notices. Any employer that seeks to issue a work notice will find themselves in a further dispute with my union.’

HS2 plan

The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport has published a 10-point plan following the cancellation of HS2 to Crewe and Manchester. CILT said it remains ‘deeply disappointed’ following the Prime Minister’s decision last month. Its plan calls for an independent inquiry into the problems with HS2, and is also calling for land already bought for the route to Crewe to be safeguarded. It wants an ‘urgent review’ of the options for easing bottlenecks on the West Coast Main Line, and says there needs to be more emphasis on freight as well as another thousand kilometres of electrification.