London commuters faced further transport difficulties on Thursday as a tube strike continued to cripple services across the capital.
The 24-hour industrial action began at 6.30pm on Wednesday, with disruption meaning services will not resume until Friday morning.
After 6.30pm on Wednesday some stations were quieter than usual, with some services still running at 7pm, although staff said all services would definitely cease by 8pm.
Images of chaos outside underground stations, including Oxford Circus and Victoria, were posted by commuters on social media on Wednesday. Hundreds of would-be tube passengers vented their frustration as crowds swelled outside the entrances to the underground with commuters spilling into the streets.
#London tube strike disruptions tonight. oxford circus station temporarily closed. view from a bus pic.twitter.com/o0G01ueM3Y
— Francine Beleyi (@FrancineBeleyi) July 8, 2015
Fun at Victoria #TubeStrike pic.twitter.com/daVZ6bFXl7
— Sophie Murray-Morris (@smurraymorris) July 8, 2015
Tube strike causing havoc at Oxford Circus! #tfl #tubestrike #oxfordcircus #toomanypeople pic.twitter.com/PI2kX036SQ
— Kate Stent (@katestent) July 8, 2015
Meanwhile, a high volume of spectators flocked to the exit gates after Andy Murray’s victory over Vasek Pospisil on Wednesday in an attempt to make it home before the strike hit the capital.
Wimbledon organisers advised fans to leave early and make alternative travel plans in advance. During Murray’s quarter-final against Pospisil, a warning about the strike was also put out on Centre Court advising people to leave if they wanted to guarantee reaching the tube on time.
Patrick McLoughlin, the transport secretary, said: “This is an unnecessary strike that threatens massive disruption and benefits 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.”
Most rail services, the Docklands Light Railway and the London Overground will continue to operate throughout the strike, as will buses and riverboat services, but traffic was expected to be heavy.
The strike action by four unions representing almost 20,000 staff, including train drivers, is the result of a continuing dispute over pay and rosters for the all-night tube services planned to start at weekends in September. Unions said further strikes would follow this summer unless London Underground improved its offer.
Talks broke down on Tuesday evening between tube managers and the unions, with both sides denouncing the other’s negotiating tactics.
Further rail misery was confirmed when last-ditch talks between the RMT union and First Great Western (FGW) to head off a separate 48-hour strike, also starting on Wednesday evening, broke down. The strike will see national rail services from London to the south-west and Wales – including the Ashes venue, Cardiff – severely disrupted.
