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| Tube and train strikes: Commuters face travel disruption | Tube and train strikes: Commuters face travel disruption |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The evening rush hour has begun early with reports of long queues for buses because of the network-wide closure of the Tube over an employment dispute. | |
| London Underground (LU) contacted the conciliation service Acas to set up fresh talks after workers began a 24-hour walkout at 18:30 BST on Wednesday. | |
| The strike over pay and night services is causing travel misery for millions. | The strike over pay and night services is causing travel misery for millions. |
| Separately, a strike by First Great Western staff is disrupting travel between London, the west and Wales. | |
| Click here for the latest updates on the London Underground strike | Click here for the latest updates on the London Underground strike |
| Click here for the latest on the First Great Western strike | Click here for the latest on the First Great Western strike |
| Click here for how to beat the shutdown | Click here for how to beat the shutdown |
| Read about how Londoners took to social media to share their travel highs and lows | Read about how Londoners took to social media to share their travel highs and lows |
| An extra 200 buses are being laid on, as well as additional river services, to help cope with demand in the capital, TfL said. | An extra 200 buses are being laid on, as well as additional river services, to help cope with demand in the capital, TfL said. |
| London Overground, DLR, TfL Rail and tram services are unaffected by the industrial action. | London Overground, DLR, TfL Rail and tram services are unaffected by the industrial action. |
| Those able to travel outside peak times are being urged to do so. | Those able to travel outside peak times are being urged to do so. |
| TfL said Tube services would resume on Friday with a full service, but advised customers to check before they travel. | |
| London Underground said its trains were in all the right places to minimise delays when services resume but could not rule out some disruption, according to BBC London Transport Correspondent Tom Edwards. | |
| On Thursday morning Mike Brown, managing director of London Underground, said: "I am very sorry your journey has been disrupted. This strike is unnecessary." | On Thursday morning Mike Brown, managing director of London Underground, said: "I am very sorry your journey has been disrupted. This strike is unnecessary." |
| The strike began at 18:30 BST on Wednesday when members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) and Unite walked out in a 24-hour action. | The strike began at 18:30 BST on Wednesday when members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) and Unite walked out in a 24-hour action. |
| At 21:30, members of the train drivers' union Aslef began their own 24-hour stoppage. | At 21:30, members of the train drivers' union Aslef began their own 24-hour stoppage. |
| RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "The strike action on London Underground is rock solid across all lines. | RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "The strike action on London Underground is rock solid across all lines. |
| "That means an end to the attempt to bulldoze through new working patterns." | "That means an end to the attempt to bulldoze through new working patterns." |
| Daniel, a train driver for LU, said the 2% pay rise was a good deal but he objected to the "point blank" way unions were asked to accept the deal within four hours. | Daniel, a train driver for LU, said the 2% pay rise was a good deal but he objected to the "point blank" way unions were asked to accept the deal within four hours. |
| He said he also he felt compelled to strike because he felt the introduction of the night Tube was premature. | He said he also he felt compelled to strike because he felt the introduction of the night Tube was premature. |
| "The assets are not good enough. The rolling stock constantly breaks down, which leads to trains being withdrawn from service. | "The assets are not good enough. The rolling stock constantly breaks down, which leads to trains being withdrawn from service. |
| "The track quality is not very good, the signalling is breaking down all the time." | "The track quality is not very good, the signalling is breaking down all the time." |
| He said the existing maintenance problems would be exacerbated if the weekend night Tube goes ahead, because it would take away two night's engineering work. Currently there is engineering work on the Tube every night. | He said the existing maintenance problems would be exacerbated if the weekend night Tube goes ahead, because it would take away two night's engineering work. Currently there is engineering work on the Tube every night. |
| Tom Edwards, BBC London transport correspondent | Tom Edwards, BBC London transport correspondent |
| The pavements were rammed in places as many took to walking but there were long queues at bus stops and train stations. | The pavements were rammed in places as many took to walking but there were long queues at bus stops and train stations. |
| And the roads were much busier than normal - Tottenham to Kings Cross took two hours - four times longer than usual. | And the roads were much busier than normal - Tottenham to Kings Cross took two hours - four times longer than usual. |
| Tonight the industrial action for some of the unions finishes at 18:30 but it'll be more of the same for commuters as there will be no tube today . There might be some disruption even tomorrow. | Tonight the industrial action for some of the unions finishes at 18:30 but it'll be more of the same for commuters as there will be no tube today . There might be some disruption even tomorrow. |
| But what about the dispute? It's still a long way from being sorted even though there's a pay deal on the table. Unions have concerns about more weekend and night working due to the night Tube and say its not about the money . And they say they support the night tube. | But what about the dispute? It's still a long way from being sorted even though there's a pay deal on the table. Unions have concerns about more weekend and night working due to the night Tube and say its not about the money . And they say they support the night tube. |
| Even the process of talking about the changes hasn't yet been agreed. Poor industrial relations from the last dispute over ticket office closures haven't helped and in the background the government is considering changing strike legislation. | Even the process of talking about the changes hasn't yet been agreed. Poor industrial relations from the last dispute over ticket office closures haven't helped and in the background the government is considering changing strike legislation. |
| All of this means the Mayor and LU have conceded the start of the night tube might slip. There is some hope though - one of the more moderate unions the Tssa has called for talks to start as soon as tomorrow . And sooner or later this will have to be resolved. | All of this means the Mayor and LU have conceded the start of the night tube might slip. There is some hope though - one of the more moderate unions the Tssa has called for talks to start as soon as tomorrow . And sooner or later this will have to be resolved. |
| London mayor Boris Johnson has refused to rule out a delay to the opening of night Tube services, which are at the centre of the dispute between unions and London Underground. | London mayor Boris Johnson has refused to rule out a delay to the opening of night Tube services, which are at the centre of the dispute between unions and London Underground. |
| Asked whether he expected the 24-hour service to launch on 12 September as planned, Mr Johnson said: "We will get it done this autumn." | Asked whether he expected the 24-hour service to launch on 12 September as planned, Mr Johnson said: "We will get it done this autumn." |
| The Tube strike coincides with a separate, 48-hour walkout by First Great Western staff, which began at 18:30 on Wednesday, causing disruption to rail services between London, the west of England and Wales. | The Tube strike coincides with a separate, 48-hour walkout by First Great Western staff, which began at 18:30 on Wednesday, causing disruption to rail services between London, the west of England and Wales. |
| Wimbledon spectator attendance is lower than last year and officials have not ruled out whether the travel disruption is a contributing factor. | Wimbledon spectator attendance is lower than last year and officials have not ruled out whether the travel disruption is a contributing factor. |
| A Wimbledon spokesman said: "There will be a reduction in the queue today because tickets are not available to buy for the show courts. | A Wimbledon spokesman said: "There will be a reduction in the queue today because tickets are not available to buy for the show courts. |
| "We can't tell if it is down to the Tube strike." | "We can't tell if it is down to the Tube strike." |
| Just over 37,000 spectators were at the All England Club on Wednesday, compared with a record attendance of 40,477 in 2014. | Just over 37,000 spectators were at the All England Club on Wednesday, compared with a record attendance of 40,477 in 2014. |
| TfL warned rush hour was likely to start earlier on Thursday as people made alternative arrangements to get home. It said buses, Overground services, river and Emirates Air Line services, as well as the cycle hire scheme were all likely to be in high demand when people headed home. | TfL warned rush hour was likely to start earlier on Thursday as people made alternative arrangements to get home. It said buses, Overground services, river and Emirates Air Line services, as well as the cycle hire scheme were all likely to be in high demand when people headed home. |
| LU chief operating officer Steve Griffiths thanked Londoners for their patience and said: "We are, as we always have been, ready to talk at any time to sort out this dispute." | LU chief operating officer Steve Griffiths thanked Londoners for their patience and said: "We are, as we always have been, ready to talk at any time to sort out this dispute." |
| On Monday, members of all four unions rejected a "final" pay offer from LU which included a 2% rise this year and £2,000 for drivers on the weekend night Tube service. | On Monday, members of all four unions rejected a "final" pay offer from LU which included a 2% rise this year and £2,000 for drivers on the weekend night Tube service. |
| The typical salary for a Tube driver is £50,000 a year, the RMT said, but the unions maintain the new plans would be disruptive to their members' lives. | The typical salary for a Tube driver is £50,000 a year, the RMT said, but the unions maintain the new plans would be disruptive to their members' lives. |
| They claim some employees are concerned they will have to work more overnight shifts and may have to work on their own at some stations. | They claim some employees are concerned they will have to work more overnight shifts and may have to work on their own at some stations. |
| The disputed weekend night services are set to begin on 12 September on sections of the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines. | The disputed weekend night services are set to begin on 12 September on sections of the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines. |
| Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said the strike was of benefit to no-one. | Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said the strike was of benefit to no-one. |
| "We stand shoulder to shoulder with workers, families and commuters who want to go about their lives without disruption. I urge the strikers to accept the good offer that employers have made and get back to work," he said. | "We stand shoulder to shoulder with workers, families and commuters who want to go about their lives without disruption. I urge the strikers to accept the good offer that employers have made and get back to work," he said. |
| Aslef organiser Finn Brennan said the responsibility of the strikes "rests squarely with London Underground management" who "squandered the window of opportunity" to resolve it. | Aslef organiser Finn Brennan said the responsibility of the strikes "rests squarely with London Underground management" who "squandered the window of opportunity" to resolve it. |
| About 20,000 Tube workers are expected to walk out during the course of the strike. | About 20,000 Tube workers are expected to walk out during the course of the strike. |
| Talks are set to resume on Friday. | Talks are set to resume on Friday. |
| Getting about | Getting about |
| TfL advice | TfL advice |
| Key points of the dispute | Key points of the dispute |