Trouble in London next week
 

Visitors to London next week may care to take note of the possibly violent demonstrations due to take place to mark the G20 leader's Summit.
Looks like most of the action will be in the Financial District and Docklands,
but it could spill over into other areas.
A good time to visit Hampton Court or Windsor maybe ?

<http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/mar/21/g20-summit-protesters>

Yup, the anticipate major disruption to transit as well so best to avoid Jubilee Line and DLR (heading to Canary Wharf. Our whole office has been told to work from home those two days to avoid transit and protest problems.

Its April 1 - 2 btw.

Oh man-- my first holiday in two years...

Are there specific dates at issue? (my browser won't open your link)

Laura

I'm sure you must be wrong. We were told by fellow Fodorites (in the politically charged Lounge) that with Bush gone and Obama in the White House, there would be fewer demonstrations at the G20.

I'm sure those who show up with be there to show their love and support for our much admired President.

Its April 1 - 2..just avoid the City, Parliament and Canary Wharf...

Drat - I'm arriving into LHR April 1st and leaving from Luton April 2nd - can I assume that the Piccadilly line to Russell Square and the main line to Luton will likely be unaffected?

You'll be fine thursday. The demonstrators won't be in that part of London. I did the exact same thing 2 weeks ago. I was surprised to have to go to St Panc International to get my train to Luton airport parkway. You have to walk to the far end of the long long station and get your ticket at the National Rail ticket counter. Then it's down the stairs on the left. It all took me longer than I anticipated.

Thanks for the heads up, Gertie. If that's the platform the Eurostar comes into it is indeed very long!

So does anybody think its a bad idea to try and visit Greenwich (from London) next week via the DLR, or will the demonstrations be focused elsewhere?

Laura

Decide for yourself -- but it does seem they are planning for very widespread disruptions. I personally would stay off the tube and DLR entirely. And I'd head west. Hampton Court, Kew, maybe Windsor -- not anywhere to the east.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/f...-lockdown.html

Well, that's very encouraging - not! I guess I'll take the Museum of London off the list of things to do, and plan to leave early to get to Luton.

Well we're preparing for trouble. There will be over 10,000 police on the streets. Tooled up.

The main area to avoid is the area around Excel Arena where the summit is actually being held as that is the focus of four seperate "actions". Excel Arena is on the other side of the river from Canary wharf - Canning Town tube.

As a tourist there is no reason why you would ever find yourself here. There is nothing at all to see apart from a big shed.

I'd also avoid Canary Wharf (again no loss) and the city itself (again, not a particularly tourist area).

Transport is likely to be disrupted as police cordon off or close stations to round up the hippies and grebos and buses can't get through the protestors marching. If you get caught up in this you could be in for a LONG wait - so this isn't a good day to be visiting St Pauls.

It's going to be the biggest police action in London since the Notting Hill Carnival.

So how much overtime are you getting?

So, with a midday flight out of Luton on April 2nd, should I overnight in Luton instead of London? Is the train to Luton likely to be affected - i.e. is St. Pancras/Kings Cross likely to get cordoned off, or is it too far away from the action?

So how much overtime are you getting?>>>

It's an all-you-can-eat bash. So lots and lots. I might get to hit a hippy too. Talk about win/win.

Thursdays: London is immense - most foreigners have no idea how big it is. So coming into St Pancras you won't even know there's anything going on.

Any protestors will be coming in from the home counties - you're going the other way.

Having said that, if your hotel room has a radio, listen into BBC London on 94.9 on FM for up to date bulletins or look at the BBC's London's travel page:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/travel/

Thanks C_W - yes, I know it's big - I lived there for a couple of years. I was worrying that the Kings Cross area might be cordoned off to keep those home counties people out - I grew up in Hertfordshire, and KC was our London access.

"Talk about win/win."

The whole thing's a put up job. The police are so fed up hearing about bankers' bonuses, they want some for themselves too.

The protestors, ultimately, want the State to spend more money. Staging these demos guarantees that happens.

It's all a conspiracy between the police and the anarchists to soak London's few remaining private-sector taxpayers.

For those of you who will be in London during that time, if you have access to the internet, it's always good to check TFL's website for "service disruptions" before you head out. While most tube lines or trains west to Windsor and/or Hampton court are unlikely to be affected, it will only take a minute or 2 to check for the latest updates before you leave, and save yourselves plenty of misery (in case of trains/tubes not running).

Do you recommend reserving a coach ticket in advance for the trip from Heathrow to Vicotoria Coach/Bus Station? Will train & tube be so limited due to G20 that it is necessary to reserve a seat on the bus to ensure one is available? Hate to reserve a seat for a bus time that we may not catch due to our plane arriving late due to weather or other delay.
We are arriving at Terminal 4. Is it well marked to find the bus/coach ticket area?

The National Express coach runs frequently between Heathrow and Central London. I see NO NEED to buy tickets in advance.

Where is your final destination in London? The National Express coach <u>does not</u> serve T4, so you'll have to drag yourselves to the Central Bus station and then take the coach. There is a tube station at T4.

We are staying a block from Victoria Coach Station. So for the lower cost and ease of no train-tube transfers we thought bus would be easiest since we'll be beat from the overnight flight.

Do we take the Heathrow Connect to Terminal 1,2,3 and walk the remainder to the Central Bus Station? Ticket window must be here?

http://www.nationalexpress.com/Airport/heathrow.cfm

There is a ticket counter at the Central Bus station.

If you take the tube, you can change at Hammersmith Station for the District Line to Victoria. My understanding is that at Hammersmith Station, all you need to do is walk across the platform to the other side with no stairs or long walking involved. Victoria Station has escalators. But of course, the Victoria rail/tube station is a good distance from the Coach station.

In a sense, you're trading between:
Getting from T4 to T1,2,3 to Central Bus Station
vs
Walking from Victoria Rail Station (instead of coach station) to your lodging

I her that Obama is flying into Stansted, after Bush closed Heathrow they banned all US presidents. Anyone know if that is right?

"Will train & tube be so limited due to G20 "

<b> No, no, and no again</b>

For crying out loud, will you all stop behaving like a bunch of old ladies? Or rather, like a bunch of silly little girls, because I know not one single old lady who'd allow herself to over-react as hysterically and wimpishly as some of you are

<b> Don't waste energy checking on tube disruptions </b> There won't be any.

<b> Don't fantasise about railway stations getting cordoned off </b> This is a working city. We didn't stop people coming into work when Hitler, the mad Irish or the towelheads were bombing us: we're certainly not going to close for the sake of a few smelly sandal-wearers

<b> Just go about your normal life </b> If your plans included City Airport it might be a bright idea to change them. Getting a bus through The City might not be advisable. CW's chums might close a few tube stations (so stay on to the next one and walk).But otherwise, unless you want to watch CW and his thuggy friends making life difficult for the unwashed, life will go on almost as normal.

flanneruk-

So, why would a bus be unadvisable?

Lear8118: >>So, why would a bus be unadvisable?<<

Flanner said "<i>Getting a bus through <B><u>The City</B></u> might not be advisable.</i>" He meant "The City" -- nothing at all to do w/ Victoria, or anywhere your coach would be traveling through etc. The City is basically the financial district .

But I'd probably take the tube to Victoria anyway. It would be faster than the coach.

To clarify -- my comment above about heading west to Kew/HCP was not due to personal danger in the main tourist areas in central London. It was mainly due to potential disruptions on tube/bus lines that can have a domino effect. If it was me, I'd just plan that day to head west and have less chance of having to divert because of police action, demos, or whatever.

I suspect that what will happen is similar to what happened last time these people managed to get out of bed. They will be allowed to march and assemble in clearly defined area. These will obviously be no-go zones just through weight of numbers - surface transport won't be able to get through.

As for the tube, realistically we are only expecting trouble at the Canary Wharf area. So it could well be that that is closed off. This isn't the end of the world as there are other options (DLR).

In fact this couldn't have come at a better time. We have to practice for 2012 don't we?

BTW despite what the yanks might think - this isn't about Obama one way or the other. The main protests are about globalisation, climate, third world debt and the usual dreadlocked white idiots who just think life in general is unfair.

I may be there for the shoe toss. However, I'm going to avoid the paint ball throw since I never hit my targets anyway.

Hippies? Towelheads? While I appreciate the British art of verbal swordplay, the Fodors message boards have become increasingly toxic. Editors, it's time to yank this thread.

Mersyheart: How come I never see you complaining about the virulent racism in the lounge and even in here, especially the islamophobia?

Grow a thicker skin my dear. Or at least be consistent.

That's a stiff upper, flanneruk!

We will be in town Sunday through Friday AM, but staying in Mayfair. Don't really have anything in the City on my to do list, so should be fine, yes?

"While I appreciate the British art of verbal swordplay"

You call it "verbal swordplay". I call it childish teenage style sarcasm. You know the kind most other nationalities outgrow when they turn 18!!!LOL

A young relation of mine works at Canary Wharf, not as a banker btw and their department has been told to dress down and not to open their Blackberries in public ;-)
The worry is that they might end up barricaded into a side-street by CW and his mates for hours on end.

Corli: Only teenagers use phrases like LOL. Well teenagers and pig-ignorant yanks it seems.

and not to open their Blackberries in public >>>

This is good advice at any time. Not because it makes you a target, but because it makes you look like a ringpiece.

"Corli: Only teenagers use phrases like LOL. Well teenagers and pig-ignorant yanks it seems."

Don't get your knickers in a twist Scotty!! Only teenagers and pig-ignorant limeys go around being sarcastic CONSTANTLY. Give it a rest please.

Hey corli, please seek professional help for your anger!

Demonstrations have already started, but peacefully: news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7968721.stm#top