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Tube and train strikes: Commuters face travel disruption Tube and train strikes: Commuters face travel disruption
(about 2 hours 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. Tube and train strikes have caused misery for travellers, with the entire London Underground network shut down and many rail services cancelled.
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. London Overground, bus and boat services were reported to be very busy.
The strike over pay and night services is causing travel misery for millions. London Underground (LU) has contacted the conciliation service Acas to set up fresh talks with unions which are on strike over pay and night services.
Separately, a strike by First Great Western staff is disrupting travel between London, the west and Wales. A separate strike at First Great Western hit travel between London, the West and Wales.
Click here for the latest updates on the London Underground strike Many of the staff in the Tube strike have now ended their 24-hour action, but Tube services will not resume until Friday morning.
Click here for the latest on the First Great Western strike LU said its trains were in all the right places to minimise delays when services restart, but could not rule out some disruption, according to BBC London Transport Correspondent Tom Edwards.
Click here for how to beat the shutdownClick here for how to beat the shutdown
Read about how Londoners took to social media to share their travel highs and lowsRead 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. The rush hour started earlier than normal for the second consecutive day as workers made alternative arrangements to get home.
London Overground, DLR, TfL Rail and tram services are unaffected by the industrial action. An extra 200 buses were laid on, as well as additional river services, said Transport for London (TfL). Cycle hire was said to be particularly busy.
Those able to travel outside peak times are being urged to do so. 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."
TfL said Tube services would resume on Friday with a full service, but advised customers to check before they travel. 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.
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."
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. LU offered staff a 2% average pay rise plus a £2,000 one-off payment for drivers affected by a planned weekend night-time service.
Daniel, a train driver for LU, said the 2% 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."
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 correspondentTom 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. Tonight the industrial action for some of the unions finished 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.
And the roads were much busier than normal - Tottenham to Kings Cross took two hours - four times longer than usual. 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.
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.
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.
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 was lower than this time last year and officials have not ruled out whether the travel disruption was 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.
"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. Tony, a 22-year-old LU customer service advisor
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." We are the first face that customers see and we regularly get lots of grief.
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. I was assaulted recently by a customer because we were enforcing a one-way barrier system. He grabbed me and started threatening me. I am not paid to put up with that abuse but it's a reality of the job.
Luckily for me there were other staff in the vicinity. Under the new night Tube plans I could be on my own. Not a week goes by that we don't have three calls to the British Transport Police but it can take them up to half an hour to get there so you are basically dealing with it by yourself.
We are seeing homeless people sleeping in stations, with 24-hour running and fewer members of station staff you are going to get more problems like that with drunk people.
We've been told there will be more police officers around, but we have had no assurances about how visible they will be. It's no good if they are up in the control room or sitting with the driver if something is going on at the back of the train or in another part of the station.
We don't want to cause disruption, but it's the only option we have left to get management to address the issues we have.
On Monday, members of all four unions rejected the "final" pay offer from LU.
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.
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.
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. The disputed weekend night services are planned for sections of the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines.
Talks are set to resume on Friday. Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said the strike was of benefit to no-one.
Getting about "We stand shoulder to shoulder with workers, families and commuters who want to go about their lives without disruption.
TfL advice "I urge the strikers to accept the good offer that employers have made and get back to work," he said.
Key points of the disputeKey points of the dispute