Londoners struggle to get to work as underground rail staff strike

London: Millions of London commuters and visitors had to find other modes of transportation instead of taking the London Underground on Thursday due to the ongoing Tube strike.

Others managed to find humour in the strike, with Felicity Morse tweeting: “Londoners have turned to savagery in the midst of the #tubestrike”.

Members of four rail unions representing staff from managers to drivers have joined the walkout, unhappy with the pay and terms offered by London Underground to implement 24-hour service at weekends on some lines, which is due to begin in September.

The July 8-9 strike marks the first time in 13 years that the London Underground has come to a standstill with all 11 LU lines and their 270 stations shut down.

Johnson was quoted as saying participants of the London Underground tube strike can “strike until they are blue in the face”.

Then he paused and added, “Of course, I think it’s bloody inconvenient”.

In 1962, Londoners faced a notable 24-hour unofficial London Underground strike that paralyzed the city’s major tube stations.

But the unions say London Underground has done too little to meet its members’ concerns about pay, health and safety, working conditions and promises about job cuts.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “This is an unnecessary strike that threatens massive disruption and benefits no one”.

Johnson, on the radio show, said that the Night Tube was “something that millions of people have wanted for a long time” and that Underground workers had been offered “a very, very fair deal” in exchange.

“We want to reward our staff for its delivery and have been open and transparent in our negotiations with the trade unions – but unfortunately they have failed to engage”.

(AP Photo/Frank Augstein). Commuters are seen through the windows of a packed bus as tube drivers are on strike in London, Thursday, July 9, 2015.

Taxi firm Uber has been criticised for increasing its prices by nearly 300 per cent to cash in on the chaos.

Lida Fallah-ardakani, 53, tried to attend a medical appointment she had scheduled five months ago.

“It did make me laugh this morning”.

“You have to take action sometimes when you are up against the… forces of capitalism”, said Tricha Passes, a 58-year-old university lecturer.

TfL said the bus network performed well, but traffic was heavy, and the rush hour started early for the second day in succession, with many offices closing by late afternoon so staff could tackle hard journeys home.

Commuters rushed home on Wednesday ahead of the start of the strike at 6.30 pm local time, as unions mounted picket lines outside stations and Transport for London (TfL) began reporting delays.

After 6.30pm on Wednesday some stations were quieter than usual, with some services still running at 7pm, although staff said all services would definitely cease by 8pm.