Transport for London are urging travellers to use alternative routes today due to the tram strike affecting services across London, including Croydon.

Last week, it was announced that nearly all members of ASLEF Train Drivers' Union voted to go on strike in protest of poor pay and working conditions.

No services will run between East Croydon, Beckenham Junction and Elmers End. 

Additional bus routes are available as an alternative. Trams are operation between Wimbledon and East Croydon, at approximately every eight minutes.

TfL advised that tram tickets and passes would be valid on London Bus routes during the strike: "Travelcard season tickets will be accepted on alternative services within the usual valid zones, as normal.

"Customers travelling outside their zones will be charged a pay as you go fare (if using Oyster) or must buy an extension ticket.

"Bus and Tram Pass tickets will be valid on buses."

Discussions with First Tram Operations, who operate the Croydon tram system, failed to reach a solution earlier this week.

Aslef said Monday that over 99 per cent of their members who voted on the action had backed the walkout and highlighted the stress and tough conditions tram drivers work under.

Finn Brennan, ASLEF’s District Organiser on Tramlink, said: “Our members showed their reaction to the company’s pay offer by returning a yes vote of 99.1% in favour of strike action, on a turnout of almost 90%.

"Management have not changed the offer. Despite six months of talks, management are not prepared to make an offer that recognises that our members do a difficult and stressful job and deserve to be properly rewarded.

"Staff on Tramlink have seen their pension benefits slashed and are paid much less than those in similar roles in other TfL modes. They want to see real improvements to reflect the responsible job they do."

A spokesman for First Tram Operations which runs the tram network on behalf of TfL has described the union’s demands as ‘unsustainable’ and disputed that pensions have been reduced.

“We are disappointed that our passengers will face entirely avoidable disruption if this industrial action goes ahead, since we have made a reasonable, above-inflation pay offer to our employees and pension benefits have not been reduced,” said the spokesman.

“The trade union demand for a basic pay rise of 20% over three years is unsustainable and we urge the trade unions to work with us to achieve an outcome that addresses their position and enables us to keep providing the best possible service for customers.”