Tube services resume in London after 24-hour strike

Commuters had to endure long queues at bus stops as they made their way home during the strike

Normal service has resumed on London's Tube network following a 24-hour strike that caused severe disruption.

Passengers had to use alternative methods of transport as almost every line was hit by the walkout over jobs.

Unions said the action was given "rock solid" support by its members and are planning further strikes in October and November.

Transport for London (TfL) maintained more than a third of London Underground trains ran despite the walkout.

Staff walked out in two waves on Monday evening and the strike ended at 2100 BST on Tuesday.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union and the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) are fighting LU plans to scrap 800 jobs in ticket offices.

Stations shut

They claim the move could compromise security and have announced three further 24-hour strikes for 3 October, 2 November and 28 November.

The unions have also imposed an overtime ban on members, which began on Monday and which RMT said would continue "indefinitely".

LU has insisted all stations would still be staffed and pledged there would be no compulsory redundancies.

It called on the the two unions to abandon their "pointless strike action and to engage in meaningful discussions".

LU managing director Mike Brown, said: "We heard from the unions that they were intent on paralysing London, but our customers and staff simply refused to let that happen - defying this cynical and needless strike action."

During the strike a full service operated on the Northern Line but many stations on the route were closed.

Escorted bike rides

A LU spokeswoman said it was able to run Northern Line services as most of its drivers were members of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (Asflef) union, which was not striking.

There was also full service on the Waterloo and City Line for most of the day.

The Bakerloo, Victoria, District, Central, Piccadilly, Hammersmith and City, Jubilee and Metropolitan lines were all partly suspended and more than 70 stations remained closed.

An extra 100 buses, marshalled taxi ranks, escorted bike rides and additional Thames riverboat services were laid on to cope with the strike.

On Wednesday morning disabled and elderly passengers from across London demonstrated outside City Hall over plans to restrict the opening hours of Tube station ticket offices.

They claim the move will restrict their freedom and independence.