Thomas Mackintosh
BBC London News

Image source, EPA

Central London would usually be rammed for Black Friday sales as shoppers head for some bargains before Christmas.

The Tube strike is set to cause disruption with no Central Line running through the capital.

Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street are all represented by the New West End Company.

Its CEO Jace Tyrell said: "It is extremely frustrating to see the Transport for London network disrupted at the most crucial moment for central London businesses.

"Just as trade and footfall is picking up, and hard-hit businesses are seeing a Christmas boost, this will be a blow, not only to customers, but to the 150,000 colleagues in the West End who heavily rely on public transport to get to work, particularly on two of the busiest days of the year."

Pop group Steps are due to play at The 02 Arena in North Greenwich later tonight.

The Tube strike is due to run all day and the venue is served by the Jubilee Line - one of the lines affected by the industrial action.

Steps fans have been quick to spot the clash and some fear they may have to wait five, six, seven or eight minutes for a train ...

There are several Tube lines that are running as normal as the majority of drivers on the London Underground network are represented by the ASLEF Union.

The Circle Line is one of those lines which is unaffected by the RMT strike - however TfL has said there are currently "severe delays" on the whole line due to "cancelled trains".

Jamie Moreland
BBC London

I'm at King's Cross station where a number of the affected lines pass through.

One student told me he can't go to college today as a result of the industrial action.

"My attendance drops and it’s not looking good for me right now. I’m stuck,” he tells me.

There has been a special service running on the station’s other Tube lines, which allowed most commuters to find another route.

Others have only been delayed by a few minutes and have not minded the strike.

Carriages are not crammed and the platforms are not crowded.

Could this be the impact of many Londoners working from home?

Tom Edwards
Transport Correspondent, BBC London

Cockfosters is on the Piccadilly Line, one of the lines disrupted by the strike today.

It is the northern terminus and also has a depot where some workers are stood outside taking industrial action.

Thomas Mackintosh
BBC London News

The collapse in passenger numbers during the coronavirus pandemic has torpedoed TfL's finances and since May 2020 it has required three government bailouts to keep services running.

Managing director Andy Lord said the pandemic has meant TfL has had to adapt to new ways of working.

He said: "Our finances have been decimated as a result of the pandemic, our ridership has fallen hugely and we need to find more ways to be efficient.

"We have reached an agreement with the trade unions which is a more efficient way of running the rosters and actually meets the needs of our train operators."

TfL documents show London, external is one of the only cities in the world that does not receive government funding to support the operating costs of its transport network - in comparison, fares on the Paris Metro make up only 38% of its income.

Passenger numbers plummeted in the pandemic meaning TfL's finances took a hit.

Image source, PA Media

The Transport Secretary has distanced himself from today's Tube strike, but encouraged TfL and the RMT to sort out the dispute.

Speaking on LBC Grant Shapps said: “I absolutely appeal to the unions to not disrupt everyone’s lives. We have had enough disruption through coronavirus.

“This is a dispute between TfL, the workers there, and the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, so I don’t have a direct role in it.

“I would just appeal for them to get round a table and get these services running.

"This is the last thing that Londoners need. I urge them to think again.”

Harry Low
BBC London News

Unsurprisingly, those unable to to travel by Tube are looking at the other options for getting around.

Prices on both Bolt and Uber are surging as passenger demand outstrips supply.

Image source, Bolt/Uber

Image source, Reuters

The Tube strike has affected rush-hour travel across the capital.

Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) staff on the Jubilee, Victoria, Piccadilly, Central and Northern lines started a 24-hour walkout at 04:30 GMT.

Little or no service is expected on some parts of the underground, while other parts of the network will be busier than usual.

Vanessa Feltz
BBC Radio London presenter

Image source, Reuters

The managing director of the London Underground has apologised to those who have been affected by the Tube strike.

Speaking on BBC Radio London Andy Lord said: "The vast majority of drivers are happy with the changes, it is a small minority who are striking.

"We are providing more flexible working rosters for all the drivers and those who wanted to stay as part-time on the Night Tube still are.

"I would encourage the RMT Union to get back round the table."

Rail unions' bargaining power has "never been weaker" according to a local government expert.

Professor Tony Travers, the director of the London School of Economics' London centre, said today's strike puts the underground network's future at risk.

Speaking to the BBC, Prof Travers said: “It appears the Tube unions are prepared to ignore the perilous state Transport for London is in.

"Most people now know how to work from home, so there’s a risk the strike will encourage a ‘managed decline’ of the underground with fewer jobs.

"The unions’ position has never been weaker.”

Barry Caffrey
BBC Radio London

Finsbury Park station is quiet with not many commuters.

There are five trains per half hour running on Victoria Line northbound to Walthamstow Central and southbound to Brixton.

The Piccadilly Line is completely suspended, but I can see the Great Northern and Thameslink trains are much busier.

Commuters are not getting off the trains, instead they seem to be staying on to other stations like Moorgate or King's Cross.

Thomas Mackintosh
BBC London News

Image source, PA Media

The boss of the RMT Union has described this morning's strike action as "rock solid".

General Secretary Mick Lynch said workers are fighting TfL's plans to run the Night Tube which would "wreck the work life balance of drivers".

He added: "The tube strike action this morning is rock solid in all depots and the widespread impact on services is solely down to the management failure to recognise and address the anger of their staff at the imposition of damaging and unacceptable working practices."

Image source, Reuters

Mr Lynch said the strike action was "wholly avoidable".

He added: "If LU bosses hadn't attempted to bulldoze through arrangements that abolished the Night Tube driver grade, lumping everyone into a central pool where they can be shunted about at will in a drive to cut costs.

"Our members have spoken this morning and it's time for London Underground to start listening.

"This is just the start of a programme of action and the Mayor and his officials need to recognise our determination to defend progressive and family friendly working practices.

"We remain available for talks. "

Sarah Lee
BBC London

London commuters face Black Friday travel woes as services on five Tube lines are severely disrupted due to a strike.

People have taken to Twitter to vent their frustrations over the difficulty of getting to work this morning, whilst others breathe a sigh of relief that they can work from home on a rather chilly day.

Thomas Mackintosh
BBC London News

Image source, Getty Images

The strike is the first of 10 planned by the RMT Union - the only one to be taking industrial action.

London Underground's director of customer operations, Nick Dent, said "every other union" has agreed to changes to the way drivers are rostered on the Night Tube.

"We're willing to work with the RMT and review the changes after Night Tube services have returned," he said.

"This review can only be successful if the RMT agrees to meet us for talks and withdraws its proposed action so we can all see how these changes will work in practice."

Eddie Nestor
BBC Radio London, presenter

The Night Tube was due to return today but the RMT Union has called a strike.

Speaking to Radio London's Eddie Nestor yesterday, the RMT's Jon Leach defended his workers' rights.

He said: "It's a staffing problem. What this is really about is about cutting 200 jobs and forcing worse rosters on everyone else.

"We support the reopening of the Night Tube and our members delivered the Night Tube until the pandemic shut it down for a few years.

"But the problem is that the London Underground abolished every single Night Tube driver's position.

"We told them six months ago they needed to fill vacancies as we have a contractual agreement that drivers don't have to do Night Tube driving duties.

"At the end of the day our members will not put up with that and why should they?"

Mr Leach said drivers were now being forced to work Night Tube shifts, when previously they were not bound to do so.

"We've had six months of meetings and TfL is not interested in talking. We've had the door slammed in our face and these members have to do these shifts.

"Our members are absolutely incandescent that this is being imposed on us and we now have the finger being pointed at us that we are the party poopers of the Night Tube."

Harry Low
BBC London News

Today's 24-hour strike covers Piccadilly, Jubilee, Victoria, Central and Northern line services.

The Night Tube was due to restart on the Central and Victoria lines at on Sunday.

However, the RMT has also instructed its members on those two lines not to report for duty from 20:30 on Saturday meaning the Night Tube will be disrupted on both days this weekend.