Tube delays: London Underground services resume after strike

Strike action yesterday saw 20,000 workers down tools across the capital

Tubes should have returned to normal this morning (PA)

London's Underground has returned to normal service following the most disruptive strike action in more than a decade - but commuters face delays as the system creaks back into service.

Around 20,000 Tube workers laid down their tools on Wednesday at 6.30pm until 9.30pm last night after negotiations with Transport for London for overnight Tubes failed.

The walkout brought widespread chaos as London ground to a halt with millions of commuters forced to walk, run, cycle or find a bus to and from work. Huge queues around travel hubs such as Victoria or Liverpool Street stations saw travellers’ commutes lengthened for hours.

This morning, TfL confirmed that “normal services” were running, with lines fully operational and unaffected by strike action.

However, the Metropolitan and Circle lines were part-suspended following a signalling failure at Aldgate. A TfL spokesperson emphasised to The Independent this was not due to strike action and that the lines were later returned to normal service.

In a statement Steve Griffiths, London Underground’s Chief Operating Officer, thanked customers for their patience during the strike, but urged unions to return to talks to resolve the issue. Separately, TfL also confirmed that it will not refund passengers' extra costs over the past two days.

Aslef, RMT, TSSA and Unite members all went on strike yesterday over the implemenation of a 24-hour Tube on some lines. The unions claim that their members had not been given a proper consulation over the change and rejected a last-minute offer from London Underground management prior to the strike.

Meanwhile, travel chaos elsewhere in the country continued as First Great Western staff continued their second day of action. Yesterday, only 60 per cent of their key services from and to London were running.