Action taken by drivers affected the Piccadilly, Jubilee, Victoria, Central, Northern and Waterloo & City lines
London First, which campaigns on behalf of London businesses, has branded the industrial action "disgraceful".
CEO John Dickie said: “The RMT going out on strike at such a critical moment in TfL’s funding negotiations is disgraceful.
"In the run-up to Christmas, as London’s businesses and Londoners try to recover from the pandemic, it is also self-indulgent.
"The RMT needs to get a grip: keeping London moving now is critical.”
TfL continues to offer status updates, external on its services. Eight lines currently have issues.
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Thomas Mackintosh
BBC London News
Transport for London (TfL) faces a challenging couple of weeks in the lead up to Christmas.
Today is the first of seven separate planned dates of strike action, but it also faces concerns over its finances.
Since May 2020, TfL has had three government bailouts - to the tune of over £4bn. There have been repeated rows over funding for TfL and the cause of its financial crisis.
Its current emergency funding deal expires on 11 December and the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has warned that transport services, including buses and the Tube, could be cut without more government help.
Discussions between TfL and the Department for Transport are continuing.
Sarah Lee
BBC London
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Harry Low
BBC London News
Jane Devane, 63, is being forced to take the bus to meet her friend for lunch as there are no Charing Cross branch services on the Northern line from Kentish Town.
She said: "It's bad timing in the run up to Christmas.
"I support them in principle but in practice, it's quite inconvenient for a lot of people"
Wendy Hurrell
BBC London
In cold and blustery in Stratford - striking Tube drivers shift from foot to foot and rub cold hands together for warmth.
A faint rainbow curved over them when I first arrived. They have been here with the RMT boss John Leach since 05:00 GMT this morning.
Mr Leach told me that his members had worked hard through the pandemic to move Londoners around the city.
The decision to strike was not an easy one in the circumstances - but when TfL “ripped up our agreement in front of the very eyes of our members”, they had to act.
Harry Low
BBC London News
Self-employed builder Greg Arnold said the Tube strike would make him one hour late for work.
The 48-year old said: "I had to wait seven minutes [between services].
"I can understand why they are doing it. I don't want to blame anybody. I wish them the best but unfortunately we are losing time."
Thomas Mackintosh
BBC London News
Image source, ReutersThe Mayor of London has chipped in with his thoughts on today's Tube strike.
Sadiq Khan brandished the industrial action as "unnecessary".
He said: "It is causing widespread disruption for millions of Londoners and will also hit London’s retail, culture and hospitality at the worst possible time.
"It’s extremely disappointing that the RMT refused to attend talks yesterday with TfL to try to come to a resolution. I urge them to come back to the table.
"The Night Tube has an important part to play in our capital’s recovery and helps to improve safety for everyone, especially women and girls making their way home at night."
Thomas Mackintosh
BBC London News
Image source, PA MediaTfL has sent out its latest overview of the Tube network and how it is being impacted by the strike.
Image source, ReutersConservative London Assembly member Emma Best has slammed the decision of the RMT Union to go on strike.
She's tweeted: "The RMT tube strike today is an unnecessary attack on London’s commuters & visitors.
"Other unions have already agreed the changes which ask drivers to work just FOUR night shifts a year.
"For a global, 24/7 city, that is a wholly reasonable request."
Thomas Mackintosh
BBC London News
Image source, ReutersEarlier we mentioned that TfL said it has been able to run nearly two-thirds of its services on the London Underground this morning - despite six lines being affected.
London Underground managing director Andy Lord has given an update and has warned passengers that they need to continue to check before they travel.
He said: “We are currently running 58% of our usual scheduled service, despite the RMT’s strike action on six London Underground lines today, but there are significant impacts on the affected lines.
"This frustrating strike action is the last thing that London needs as it recovers from the pandemic and we have done everything we can to get this unnecessary action called off.
"We are doing all we can to provide as good a service as possible for Londoners and visitors on the Tube network today, with staff and travel ambassadors on hand at stations to assist customers."
Thomas Mackintosh
BBC London News
This is the first major strike action to hit the London Underground in recent years - the last one was in 2019.
Since April 2008 there have been 68 individual dates of strike action - the vast majority happened while Boris Johnson was Mayor of London.
Figures obtained by the BBC last year showed that more than 36,000 days have been lost to strike action in 11 years.
The number of days lost is so high because TfL counts "one day lost for every member of staff missing".
Analysing the figures, Prof Tony Travers explained the industrial rows resembled "trigger points" that Mr Johnson and Sadiq Khan would experience as Mayor of London.
Each mayor would aim to avoid in order to prevent any big strikes, Prof Travers said in September 2019.
He said: "These trigger points are usually something new. These include the Night Tube, Olympics or working Boxing Day.
"Unions have long used the Underground as good leverage when trying to get better pay because of the monopoly that it serves.
"Under Sadiq there have been fewer days lost. But the entire record for Tube strikes is particularly dire."
Thomas Mackintosh
BBC London News
Transport for London says it is operating about 60% services.
This is despite six lines - Central, Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria, Jubilee and Waterloo & City - being affected by the strike action
Thomas Mackintosh
BBC London News
Image source, ReutersToday's strike action is the first of many planned by the RMT Union over the next few weeks.
TfL has warned commuters that some lines are likely to face severe disruption.
Here's a list of all the dates, times and lines affected by the proposed industrial action.
BBC London Travel
BBC Radio London Travel
The bigger impact of the latest Tube strike seems to have been on the main roads into the capital.
It was extra busy for the M4/A4 heading into Earl's Court, for the A40 from Perivale towards White City and for the A13 from Dagenham into the City.
The latter has not been helped by this week’s closure of the Woolwich Ferry for emergency repairs.
Disruption on the Tube has also led to a longer rush hour – the A4 and A40 are still slow at 10.30 GMT when we would usually expect things to have picked up a little.
Harry Low
BBC London News
Passengers emerging from Kentish Town tube station in north London say they haven't been affected by the industrial action.
"I didn't even know it was happening," says Sally Keable, 69.
"I only became aware when there was an announcement at Camden Town."
Tom Edwards
Transport Correspondent, BBC London
At the end of the Piccadilly Line there is a cold and bitter wind at Cockfosters. To make matters worse there are hardly any Tube trains for those commuters who unwittingly turned up.
A small RMT Union picket line with a fire is nearby.
Sporadic services did run on other lines but there has been disruption.
What this dispute boils down to is "who should drive the Night Tube trains?"
The RMT wants London Underground to stick to a previous agreement where drivers were given the choice.
London Underground wants everyone to do the shifts.
The Night Tube is meant to relaunch tomorrow but that too will be affected.
It’s a bit like trying to open a big new shiny flagship restaurant with only half the chefs.
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