Tube drivers wreak havoc on London commuters

Up to two-thirds of Tube services were hit, while buses were packed and roads gridlocked as commuters and other passengers endured difficult journeys.

London Underground said eight of 11 lines were running trains, keeping London “open for business”, but unions said the company had under-estimated the impact of the 48-hour walkout.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) and Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) will be on strike until 9pm tomorrow, with a further two-day stoppage planned next week, in protest at plans to close all Tube ticket offices with the loss of 950 jobs.

A Conservative source confirmed that it was examining a range of options for curbing strikes as part of considerations for the party’s 2015 general election manifesto - including the idea of a 50% threshold put forward by London mayor Boris Johnson.

Among other options are classifying the Underground as an essential service, requiring the maintenance of a minimum level of service.

Mr Johnson said he felt “enormous sympathy” for Londoners caught up in the disruption as he continued to attack the “utterly pointless” strike.

He said: “It’s appalling that a tiny minority of union members have sought to disrupt the working lives of millions of Londoners today. It’s clear that at a minimum we need a 50% strike threshold for a key public service like the mass transit system of our capital city.

“Tube modernisation is essential, and will actually mean there will be more, not less, members of staff on concourses and platforms to help passengers and keep commuters safe.

“These changes don’t involve compulsory redundancies, will save millions that will be reinvested in the system, and are backed by over 80% of Londoners, and yet the unions have refused to properly engage with TfL’s consultation, and walked away from Acas this week.”

Unite said the comments revealed the “dark agenda” of a future Conservative government to introduce restrictive laws.

Assistant general secretary Gail Cartmail said: “Boris Johnson is cynically trying to make hay while Tube workers take strike action to defend operations and safety.

“As polls show, the public back this action. People understand that when unions act to save services, they act in the public interest.

“By threatening to ban industrial action, Boris Johnson sounds like a tinpot dictator and displays stunning hypocrisy. He calls for a 50% legal minimum in the turnout for a strike ballot when he was elected on a turnout of just 38%.”

Bob Crow, leader of the RMT union, said: “It does Londoners no favours to be told by London Underground that stations will be open, only to turn up and find the gates slammed shut.

“The unions said from the outset that if we were forced to take this action, with the cuts gun levelled at our heads, it would be solid with widespread and serious disruption, and that is exactly what has happened despite a stream of misleading and bogus information from TfL.”

Mr Johnson continued to attack the strike, insisting LU was planning to increase staffing levels through modernising the Tube and getting rid of “antiquated” ticket offices.

“A deal is there to be done. I am more than happy to talk to Bob Crow if he calls off the pointless and unnecessary strike.”

Business groups warned the strikes will cost London’s economy tens of millions of pounds.

Unions also claimed that the “army of volunteers” LU said would be on hand to help passengers failed to materialise, although this was denied by the company.

The RMT called for an inquiry after claiming there was “lethal overcrowding” at Waterloo station.

Nigel Holness, LU’s operations director, said union claims about ambassadors were “completely false”, adding: “As Londoners will have seen for themselves, we’ve had hundreds of volunteers out today to help customers get around. We’ll have hundreds out during the evening peak as well.

“Some stations, particularly the main rail termini, will clearly be very busy because of this pointless strike by the RMT and TSSA, but our staff are working hard to keep customers safe, and keep London moving and open for business today. We’re running over a third of normal services, serving around 70% of stations on eight out of 11 lines.”

David Cameron “unreservedly condemned” the strike and criticised Labour leader Ed Miliband for failing to do likewise.

Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Cameron said there was no reason for Tube workers to be taking part in the strike.

He said: “We need a modernised Tube line working for the millions of Londoners who use it every day.

“The fact is, only 3% of transactions now involve ticket offices so it makes sense to have fewer people in those offices but more people on the platforms and the stations.”

:: An Old Bailey judge commended the “Dunkirk spirit” of jurors who managed to get into the court despite the Tube strike.

Mr Justice Saunders told the hacking trial jury: “Thank you for struggling in. The Dunkirk spirit survives.”