Thomas Mackintosh
BBC London News

Image source, PA Media

The Tube strike has caused crippling delays on London's roads, affecting private cars, cabs commercial vehicles and buses.

Location technology firm TomTom said at 09:00 GMT the level of road congestion was 119%, which was the highest figure for the capital this year.

The level was 80% at the same time last week.

Figures represent the proportion of additional time required for journeys compared with free-flow conditions, the firm said.

Tom Edwards
Transport Correspondent, BBC London

Image source, PA Media

This isn’t just a transport story - it’s really a story about how the pandemic is affecting our society in ways we never predicted.

Transport for London (TfL) lost passengers as they were told to stay away - that meant it had to go to the government for emergency funding - in total £5bn.

But there were strings attached - £400m savings meaning post closures and a review of pensions to make it “financially sustainable”.

It costs TfL £360m-a-year at the moment.

That unsurprisingly infuriated the unions - and now we have a tube strike.

This is just the beginning of the changes at TfL. The problem is the two sides are so far apart and there is no common ground.

The unions do not want pensions touched at all it is a red line - and TfL have to carry out a pension review as condition of the bailout. We are entering a very uncertain period.

Thomas Mackintosh
BBC London News

Image source, Getty Images

Heathrow Airport had a weak start to the year in terms of passenger numbers - with January and February numbers almost a quarter lower than expected.

The west London hub is served by the Piccadilly Line, which has been shut because of the Tube strike.

Flights are running as normal out of Heathrow but passengers are being warned to give plenty of time to get to the airport.

The Heathrow Express, TfL Rail or bus services are alternative options.

Olivia Demetriades
BBC London

It is a properly wet and cold morning in north London and everyone I approached at Willesden Green had no clue there was a Tube strike.

Some seemed quite frustrated about the news.

Most people are trying to find an alternative route, others just gave in and headed back home.

There are queues for the buses, which are noticeably orderly this morning - an unusual sight for a bus stop on your average day.

But, they are getting longer and commuters told me they have been waiting almost an hour because the buses were arriving full and only permitting a couple of people on at a time.

It is doubtful the weather has helped people's mood.

Harry Low
BBC London News

As you might expect, prices are high for those looking to beat the bus queues by using ride-hailing apps. The rain that has been falling all morning will no doubt be driving increased demand.

Black cab drivers are also doing roaring trade outside Charing Cross station. As soon as a Hackney carriage rolls up, a passenger jumps in - some are even climbing aboard before the drivers can reach the front of the queue.

Image source, Bolt

Thomas Mackintosh
BBC London News

Image source, PA Media

A slight update on the Tube disruption.

The Northern Line has now joined the Central and District Lines as services running on a reduced frequency.

• Northern Line: Service operating between East Finchley and High Barnet / Mill Hill East at a reduced frequency.
• Central Line: Service operating between White City and Ealing Broadway / West Ruislip, Liverpool Street and Loughton and between Newbury Park and Leytonstone via Woodford
• District Line: Service operating between Upminster and West Ham and between High Street Kensington and Wimbledon

There is no service on the rest of those three lines.

Helen Wicks
BBC London

At Tottenham Hale there are loads of people turning up and finding out the Tube is not running and the queue for the bus is horrific.

The rain is making people gather inside the station where there are no seats and no power supply to charge phones.

People are staring blankly out to the rain, lots of people with suitcases coming in from Stansted Airport and not knowing what to do.

It is chaos.

Normally passengers are flowing through, but staff are on their phones trying to help people out.

Sadly, there is just an overwhelming number of people here.

Harry Low
BBC London News

Lenette Asket, who would normally take a Jubilee line train to Bond Street for her job at Selfridges, tells me the situation is "crazy" and "a big inconvenience".

She has tried ordering an Uber but to no avail, watched multiple buses sail past - and therefore will be at least 40 minutes late.

"I'm on my probation - I just got a grad job out of uni," the 23-year old added.

Does this Londoner have any solidarity with the 10,000 workers taking industrial action?

"I understand they have their issues and want their policies to be fixed but it's a big inconvenience to me so right now I'm not really bothered."

Thomas Mackintosh
BBC London News

Image source, PA Media

John Rayner, 28, a construction worker who was waiting for a bus in Paddington said: "I missed two buses this morning because queues for buses are so long and some buses don't even bother to stop.

"I walked to Paddington for over an hour as I thought I would have more luck getting a Tube from here. It is a joke.

Office worker Jasmine Keane, 40, said: "I have had to take an Uber to get to work.

"I don't even know what time I will get to work with the traffic and weather."

Jamie Moreland
BBC London

As a result of the pandemic London Waterloo witnessed the biggest decrease in passenger usage and recently lost its crown as the UK's busiest train station.

But here today, things are still bustling on the South Western Railway side of things although the shutters at the Tube station on the main concourse are bolted shut.

Commuters are faced with finding other ways of travelling across the city.

Passengers are flooding out of the exits and continuing their journeys on foot.

Many are bearing with the bad weather instead of using the usual Bakerloo, Jubilee, Northern and Waterloo & City Line routes.

Thomas Mackintosh
BBC London News

Image source, Getty Images

The London Overground is running services across parts of the capital.

Although there are some stations where services will not be calling at because the stations are run by London Underground.

The stations are:

• West Brompton
• Gunnersbury
• Kew Gardens
• Blackhorse Road
• Wembley Central
• Harrow & Wealdstone
• Queens Park
• Kensal Green
• Harlesden
• Stonebridge Park
• North Wembley
• South Kenton
• Kenton

Harry Low
BBC London News

At the back of a long queue for taxis at Charing Cross Station, I find Alexis George, who is a wheelchair user.

She said: "It's really inconvenient because there are normally no people in the queue, lots of taxis and I usually get to work within 20 minutes.

"Today I'm going to be late. This is the only mode of transport to get to work and I don't usually use the Tube because there is no step-free access at Charing Cross.

"Unfortunately I have meetings on Thursday as well so it's going to happen all over again," she added.

Thomas Mackintosh
BBC London News

Image source, PA Media

Commuters in London are being warned of "extremely busy" services during rush hour amid a widespread Tube strike which has led to disruption on all Underground lines.

The announcement was delivered over speakers to passengers waiting in the rain at Finsbury Park station in north London for a Thameslink service at around 08:30 GMT on Tuesday.

Despite seemingly higher than usual numbers of customers on the platform at Finsbury Park, relatively few were on the platform at St Pancras International for Thameslink trains.

Thameslink services are experiencing delays of several minutes for most trains.

Harry Low
BBC London News

Image source, bbc

"Fantastic" said the first black cab driver I spoke to before raising his thumb and driving off.

But - other than Uber drivers - traffic is probably black cabbies' biggest foe so it's not all plain sailing.

"I wish it wasn't happening" said another. "Sitting in traffic, nose to tail all day long with some people just moaning.

"There's lots of business but you can't move to do it so I'd rather not have it."

Sam Francis
BBC News, London

Thomas Mackintosh
BBC London News

Image source, PA M

Transport for London's chief operating officer Andy Lord has apologised again to commuters for today's strike action.

Andy Lord urged the RMT to call off the strike which he described as "completely unnecessary".

"The dispute is across the entire network, whereas the previous dispute before Christmas was with the Night Tube only with the RMT and on certain lines," Mr Lord told LBC.

"Today it is covering the whole network.

"We are hoping to run a limited service on some of the lines but I would really encourage customers to check the TfL website and only travel if their journey is essential.

"We've laid on extra buses and we also have all our other TfL services which are operating normally. "I hope that they will be able to get to work without too much of an inconvenience."

BBC London Travel
BBC Radio London Travel

The District and Central Lines are currently operating "reduced" service in some areas.

Services are operating between Upminster and West Ham and between High Street Kensington and Wimbledon at a reduced frequency.

There is no service on the rest of the line.

For the latest travel updates, tune into BBC Radio London on the hour and at half past.

BBC Weather

Thousands of Tube workers are absent today due to the strike action - many of them will be out on the picket lines championing their cause.

Hopefully they - and anyone braving the conditions today - have brought an umbrella.

Kate Kinsella has today's forecast for London which will see some rain move in throughout the day with some thickening cloud.

James Keeper has been working at Blues And Royals coffee company on Embankment for the last decade. He said it's been dead since arriving at 06:00 GMT.

He said: "The streets are empty so for us it's terrible. We rely on the station being open.

"What's affected us as well is not only the station being closed but they've shut the gates preventing people from walking through which pushes people away from us."