COMMUTER MISERY: Strikes cause underground chaos
Underground strikes causes chaos for city workers
LONDONERS are enduring a nightmare start to their week thanks to the 24-hour London Underground (LU) strike.
Commuters had to endure a horrendous morning rush hour on Monday, which saw Clapham Junction evacuated because of over crowding.
They took to Twitter to share their frustration and images of huge queues snaking through and outside train stations.
Jo Eden tweeted: “Oh my God, give them anything they want, just make it stop. #TubeStrike.”
Industrial action commenced on Sunday at 6pm and Transport for London (TfL) said the majority of Zone 1 stations closed, with parts of some Tube lines running a severely restricted service.
The industrial action meant key interchange stations such as Victoria, King’s Cross St Pancras, Waterloo, Paddington, Euston, Bank and London Bridge had no London underground service.
National Rail, London Overground and Docklands Light Railway services were running but dealing with extra passengers, while up to 150 extra buses were on the roads to help people about the capital.
There had been slim hopes the walk-out would be avoided, but 11th hour peace talks between the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) union, Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) and LU failed.
The strike is over staff cuts and ticket office closures.
London Underground claims it could have been avoided.
TfL provided information on Monday morning on how each line was affected:
Bakerloo Line: Service operating between Queens Park and Harrow and Wealdstone only, approximately every 10 minutes. No service on the rest of the line. Central Line: Service operating West Ruislip to North Acton, Epping to Liverpool Street and Hainault to Liverpool Street via Newbury Park and Hainault to Woodford. No service on the rest of the line. District Line: Severe delays from Earls Court to Richmond and Ealing Broadway, minor delays on the rest of the line. Jubilee Line: Service operating Stanmore to
Baker Street. No service on the rest of the line.
Metropolitan Line: No service Baker Street to Aldgate. Northern Line: Service operating Edgware to Golders Green and High Barnet to East Finchley and Kennington to Morden. No service on the rest of the line.
Piccadilly Line: Service operating Acton Town to Uxbridge, Hammersmith to Heathrow all terminals and Cockfosters to Arnos Grove, No service on the rest of the line.
The RMT union accused the TfL of peddling “dangerous lies” about level of Tube services operating during the strike.
General secretary Mick Cash said: “It does no one any favours for TFL to openly lie about how many tube services are running.
“It just piles more people into stations that are already dangerously overcrowded and ramps up the risk of a major crushing incident.
“TFL should stop peddling their fantasy world of services that are operating when the truth is that London is on an almost total shutdown.
“They should cut out this lethal nonsense and get their top London Underground bosses back round the negotiating table with a serious set of proposals to settle this dispute.”
However, it was not all bad news, with a few commuters grateful for the strike
Matt jones tweeted: “Arrived @ work normal time. Buses half empty and a quick journey. Better than summer strikes. 10/10 would go through again #TubeStrike.”
Normal service was resumed on Tuesday morning.