Millions stranded in London Underground strike chaos

LONDON: Millions of 'Tube' commuters were coping with rush hour chaos as London Underground workers began their 48-hour strike today over proposed job cuts.

Extremely diminished services and the closure of many stations disrupted journeys on the Tube network, which also opened an hour later than normal.

Overground trains and buses were reported to be highly congested, despite extra services being drafted in.

Transport for London (TfL) had urged customers to use alternative transport and, wherever possible, walk, but it also happened to be a day when London was faced with gale force winds and rain.

Weather has also affected some national rail services into the capital.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) and Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) union members started their planned walkout at 2100 GMT on Tuesday (0230 IST today) calling for the Mayor of London to suspend plans to close all ticket offices and cut 950 jobs in the city.

The authorities have said the measures are needed to modernise and save an estimated 50 million pounds a year.

The TSSA claimed the service had been reduced by 70 per cent, though TfL said it was operating train services on eight out of 11 lines.

The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry has estimated the likely cost of the strike to the city's economy at more than 50 million pounds a day, or 200 million pounds including a further two-day walkout scheduled to start on February 11.

Bob Crow, leader of the RMT, said, "That is simply a reflection of the staff anger at attempts to bulldoze through cuts to jobs, services and safety which would reduce the tube to a dangerous, hollowed-out shell."

The London Underground, one of the world's oldest networks which carries around three million passengers daily, plans to run a limited service until Friday morning with a number of stations and lines closed.

Prime Minister David Cameron took to Twitter to describe the strike as "shameful" as it would bring "misery to millions of Londoners".

In response, an RMT representative said Cameron should get mayor Boris Johnson to stick to his election promise to Londoners not to close ticket offices.