Image source, EPA

A strike on London's Underground network has caused widespread disruption in the capital.

Most Tube lines have no service and thousands of commuters have been forced to make alternative travel arrangements to get to their destinations.

It comes as workers who are members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union launched industrial action over their pay and working conditions.

Disruption is expected until Friday. Transport for London (TfL) has warned that there will be few or no services between Monday and Thursday on its networks, with some further disruption on Friday morning.

TfL offered workers a 3.4% pay rise, which it describes as "fair", but it said it could not afford the RMT's demand for a cut in the working week. Nick Dent, who works for London Underground, said the union's request for a cut to the 35-hour working week is "simply unaffordable".

RMT union members - train drivers, signallers and maintenance workers - have requested an improvement to their working conditions and pay, including demanding to work a 32-hour week.

A spokesperson for RMT says the aim of the strike action is not to disrupt small businesses or the public, but the walkout was a result of TfL's "refusal to even consider a small reduction in the working week in order to help reduce fatigue and the ill-health effects of long-term shift work on our members".

• Find out if your journey is likely to be disrupted here.

Harry Low
Reporting from King's Cross St Pancras station

“Tube strikes are a fact of life in London,” Paul Weallans tells me outside King’s Cross station where he is waiting in the sunshine for a train to Newcastle having taken the Thameslink from Finsbury Park.

“Happily, we didn’t need it [the Tube] because we had an alternative but I feel sorry for the people who rely on it for getting to and from work."

He adds that "there is undoubtedly a resolution to be had somewhere and I hope it’s not a long time coming".

Harry Low
Reporting from King's Cross St Pancras station

“Very inconvenient and really annoying”.

That’s the verdict from Isabel Edwards, who has taken the train down from Cambridge to spend the day in London celebrating her cousin’s birthday.

She says: "It’s going to take us ages to get where we need to go, we’ll have to leave where we are earlier to get back home."

On the union’s 32-hour working week demand, she adds: “I think people don’t want to work any more to be honest.

“Most people work 40 hours. I think that’s ridiculous.”

Image source, Getty Images

Among the events affected by the Tube strike have been a number of music concerts.

Coldplay rescheduled their concerts at Wembley Stadium due to licensing issues around the event due to the Tube strike.

The band said: "Without a Tube service, it's impossible to get 82,000 people to the concert and home again safely, and therefore no event licence can be granted for the nights of 7 and 8 September."

The band said to avoid cancelling the gigs altogether, the Sunday show would move to Saturday (6 September) and the Monday show will move to Friday (12 September).

US singer Post Malone was due to perform at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday 7 September and Monday 8 September.

Instead, shows will take place on the 20 and 21 September, with refunds available for those who cannot attend the rescheduled dates.

TfL is urging anyone during the strike to check before travelling.

Harry Low
Reporting from King's Cross St Pancras station

The Night Time Industries Association says that Tube strikes lead to reduced confidence among people, meaning they "choose to stay closer to home, cut nights short, or not go out at all”.

CEO Michael Kill said: “Since 2022, rail and Tube strikes have cost the UK’s night time economy billions in lost revenue, with forecasts indicating a further £150 million could be lost during this week’s strike period alone.

“This devastating projection comes at a point when the sector is relying heavily on consistent week-to-week trade to stay afloat.

“The impact is clear: major events have been disrupted, footfall across towns and cities has fallen, and pubs, clubs, restaurants, hotels and theatres are seeing significant declines in trade.

“At a time when rising costs are already squeezing operators, ongoing transport disruption is compounding the pressure further.”

Harry Low
Reporting from King's Cross St Pancras station

A spokesperson for Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has told me: "Nobody wants to see strike action or disruption for Londoners.

"Strikes have a serious impact on London’s businesses and commuters. The mayor continues to urge the RMT and TfL to get around the table to resolve this matter and get the network re-open.”

Last time there was due to be a Tube strike at the start of 2024, the mayor found £30m to avert the action.

There has been no such luck for commuters (or unions) this time around.

For those who travel in and out of London, or those who live in the capital and commute within it, the week ahead will be turbulent due to ongoing strikes by the RMT union.

Underground users will be affected Monday through to Friday, with severe disruption expected Monday-Thursday and limited disruption on Friday.

For those who use the DLR, Tuesday and Thursday are no-go days as there will be no service.

Buses will be busier than usual as commuters will use it as an alternative means of transport, but they'll be running a normal service most days. Expect some limited disruption on Friday.

In London, commuters have resorted to cycling, walking, taxis or getting the bus as they try to reach work this Monday morning.

It comes as London Underground's lines were suspended as workers who are members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union - including signallers, drivers and maintenance workers - went on strike requesting an improvement to pay and working conditions.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, EPA

James Kelly
UGC Hub

Chris Barnes is accustomed to a long commute - he travels into central London from Ramsgate on the Kent coast five days a week, a journey that usually takes him two hours.

But this week, the Tube strike means his journey is more than a third longer. This morning it took him three hours and 12 minutes - and he faces a commute of a similar duration at the end of his working day.

The 51-year-old father-of-two manages a residential property in Chelsea, a job he can't perform from home.

He says: "With the Tube strikes, my usual quite long commute from Kent (two hours door-to-door) is now three each way as I have to take an alternative slow train that gets me into London closer to where I work and then walk the last section.

"Meetings at work have had to be cancelled or re-arranged, childcare re-organised and clubs and leisure activities for all of the family will be missed this week due to the strikes.

"Usually I get home after seven but it will be about eight-fifteen this week so I'll miss the pleasure of seeing my young children, who will be in bed.

"I accept the Tube workers are not happy and want change but this isn’t the way for that to be achieved.

"I understand they have issues but the millions of pounds of impact this will have, and lives that will be affected, means that my sympathy has run out for them."

Tom Edwards
Transport Correspondent, BBC London

This strike mandate was achieved prior to TfL's present pay offer being made, with a 57.5.% turnout.

Some 6,004 union members voted in favour of industrial action, 4,196 did not vote.

An interesting aside is that the RMT union has a new general secretary in Eddie Dempsey.

This will be the first major strike for the RMT union under the new leadership.

Our colleagues are up in a helicopter and have been sending us live footage of several Tube carriages at Neasden train depot, where they are likely to stay while the underground strikes are under way.

To follow along with all the updates click watch live at the top of the page.

Nick Johnson
BBC News

I’m in a queue for a bus outside Victoria Station.

A rough count suggests at least 50 are in the queue with me. I’ve been here 20 minutes already - we’ve just been told the bus we’re all waiting for will be at least another 30 minutes.

Some exasperated people in the queue have peeled away trying to work out an alternative. This is a journey on the Tube which would usually take me just 10 minutes.

TfL staff in hi-viz are trying to manage the queues to stop passengers straying off the pavement - but they’re also managing tempers and emotions.

Victoria Hollins
Reporting from Waterloo station

At 09.30 the queue was 85 deep waiting for the buses at Waterloo station. The 243 and 59 towards Aldwych and Holborn have the longest wait but the queue is orderly and good tempered.

The e-scooter zone is empty apart from one lonely scooter. I’ve watched dozens of people take a look at the scene and decide to set off on foot.

Harry Low
Reporting from Kings Cross St Pancras station

At the back of a long queue for a black cab, I find Rachel Edwards who has allowed an extra three hours to travel between King’s Cross and Paddington stations.

Her journey will (hopefully) end in Falmouth in Cornwall having started in Ely early this morning. The NHS worker says the situation is "a bit annoying", but adds that it's at least "such a beautiful day".

“I don’t really agree with striking," she adds. "I would never ever strike for my patients but sometimes that’s the only way to get what you need.”

When told the reason for the strike is the RMT's demands to work a 32-hour working week, she says: “Is that all?

"That’s not much is it. We’d all love that wouldn’t we? I think it’s a little bit unrealistic. The country is in such a mess and we all need to pull together and not go on strike."

Tom Edwards
Transport correspondent, BBC London

It's unlikely this is the end of the issue.

But whether there will be more strikes will now depend on how hard the RMT wants to pursue the issue of a 32-hour week and if its members want more strikes.

Remember, those on strike do not get paid.

Or feasibly there could be a change of heart at TfL and they could look at a 32-hour week to assuage the RMT.

Jamie Whitehead
Live reporter

After the email went out on Friday reminding us of this morning's Tube strikes, one of our assistant editors asked me if I would be able to get in OK on Monday.

"I'll be fine," I responded confidently. "I get the Elizabeth line."

Famous last words.

We'd known Bond Street station, the nearest Crossrail stop to the BBC's London Broadcasting House would be closed. But, I found out the next nearest station, Tottenham Court Road, was also closed, while I was on the train.

Then my phone signal dropped completely.

I was actually on time for work as the train cruised through Bond Street. Then, as Imogen found at Liverpool Street, Paddington was also mayhem.

People everywhere, all looking for the same bus. For which the queues were massive for and even when they arrived, you couldn't get on them.

Keen to capitalise, there were black cabs a plenty but not an orange light to be seen.

"It's probably easier to just walk now," I said to myself as I set off on the 35-minute walk, which admittedly was quite nice in the sunshine.

So an hour later than planned, I'm finally here. And ready to help making sure you're across the strikes and how you'll get around the capital today.

And who was the first person I bumped into outside when I got here? The assistant editor I'd confidently spoken to on Friday.

"I'll be fine," she laughed sarcastically.

I deserved that.

Harry Low
Reporting from Kings Cross St Pancras station

Outside the closed King's Cross St Pancras Tube station, RMT's regional organiser for London tells me the union has “enormous sympathy” for those affected by this week's strike.

"It's not something we enjoy doing, our members lose all their pay as well and we do have enormous sympathy for people going about their business," says Jared Wood.

But he adds that members think "that what we're fighting for is completely reasonable, affordable and it's only that London Underground just refuses to discuss it with us that we find ourselves in this position."

And a lot of people are showing support on the picket line, he says, because "a lot of people recognise that one group of workers losing out doesn't benefit others".

The RMT is carrying out rolling action over pay and "fatigue management", and have asked for a 32-hour week.

Because of an apparent decrease in 2,000 staff members since the pandemic, Wood says shift work has become "more extreme and pressurised".

"People do 04:00 (BST) starts, 01:00 finishes...bank holidays are all normal working," he says. "People are exhausted and they want that issue addressed".

In Waterloo, central London, hundreds of people could be seen queueing up for alternative transport routes - namely buses.

Suspended:

Bakerloo line

Circle line

District line

Hammersmith and City line

Jubilee line

Victoria line

Piccadilly line

Waterloo and City line

Part suspended:

Central line: operating between West Ruislip/Ealing Broadway and White City, and between Stratford and Epping/Hainault via Woodford

Metropolitan line: operating between Amersham/Chesham and Rickmansworth, and between Watford/Uxbridge and Harrow-on-the-Hill only

Northern line: operating between High Barnet/Mill Hill East and East Finchley

Minor delays:

Lioness line

DLR

Good service:

Windrush line

Weaver line

Mildmay line

Liberty line

Suffragette line

Elizabeth line

Tram

Nicky Shiller
Reporting from outside St Pancras station

My colleague Harry said earlier the queue was building for taxis at King's Cross. It's the same at St Pancras now. The only issue is right now there aren't any cabs for people to get in. The taxi rank is empty.

I did explain to one man who'd got off a Eurostar there was a strike for four days. His response - "I shouldn't have come to London. It's becoming very French."

BusinessLDN did tell BBC London that the Tube strikes have a direct impact not only on businesses but also on the global reputation of the capital.