London Tube strike news: Central, Piccadilly among lines affected

Piccadilly line commuters are being turned away from stations with one mother struggling to make her daughter’s hospital appointment.

A stream of people were being told “no service” by a station worker at South Ealing.

Tara Hughes, 20, said: “I have to take my five year old for a hospital appointment. This is so selfish of the tube drivers.”

A Steps superfan joked that strike action was a ‘gay hate crime’ as music lovers faced carnage heading to the 90s group reunion show at the O2 tonight.

Food and drink PR Alex Scripps is having to catch a boat or multiple trains plus a cable car to get to the arena due to a reduced Jubilee line service from strike action.

“Usually it would be a short train to London Bridge and mere moments on the Jubilee line,” said Alex, from Crystal Palace.

“Instead, I’m left with getting a 37min boat, or several trains and the emirate cable car. I can’t wait to see the price Uber whack on to their surge otherwise I’d get a taxi.

“For me, it is the worst timing imaginable. I never use the Jubilee line and the one day I want to, it’s down.

“The fact that it coincides with Black Friday, and the ongoing night tube closures right through the party seasons feels a bit irresponsible after so many campaigned for it to open back up again for safety reasons.”

Concertgoers waiting to see Steps perform at the O2 Arena will have to navigate London’s travel nightmare on Friday.

The stadium is served by a single London Underground station on the Jubilee line which is currently running a reduced service due to RMT strike action.

Passengers can expect busier trains than usual before alighting at North Greenwich for the O2.

Alternative routes include local bus services and the Emirates cable car which runs from Royal Victoria, with connections to the Docklands Light Railway.

A river boat service is also running and might help those wanting to avoid the chaos when crossing the city from the west.

Taxi services and parking is also available.

Jubilee, Northern and Victoria lines are still running a frequent service despite less trains running due to strike action.

Tube passengers can expect one train every four minutes on the Victoria line while the Jubilee is running one every five minutes and the Northern is running one every seven minutes.

Severe delays are now reported on the Circle line due to train cancellations.

The Tube strike has hit London at a ‘critical moment’ as businesses try to recover from the pandemic in the lead up to Christmas, warns London First boss.

The group, founded by business leaders, has more than 175 members working to champion the city.

CEO John Dickie said: “The RMT going out on strike at such a critical moment in TfL’s funding negotiations is disgraceful.

“In the run-up to Christmas, as London’s businesses and Londoners try to recover from the pandemic, it is also self-indulgent.

“The RMT needs to get a grip: keeping London moving now is critical.”

Commuters queue for busses at Waterloo station where a limited service is running on the Jubilee and Northern lines due to strike action.

The Waterloo and City line remains closed while a good service is operating on the Bakerloo line.

Nick Dent, director of London Underground customer operations, said: “At such a pivotal time for the capital’s recovery, we are hugely disappointed that the RMT is threatening London with this unnecessary action.

“By making changes to Tube driver rosters we have provided greater flexibility for drivers as well as permanent work and job security, something welcomed by all other unions.”

Piccadilly line stations were locked this morning with irate passengers being turned away.

Miles Chapman,22, works in publishing in central London.

“I’ve been enjoying going back to the office after the pandemic and this strike is stopping people going in. It’s very frustrating,” he said.

Leanne Smallman, 30, a retail worker, said: “I’m really cross now I have to get a bus and will be half an hour late.

“I think it’s terrible the tube workers are stopping the public going about their business over petty grievances.”

Tensions mounted on the London Underground this morning as passengers scrambled to make few and far between trains.

One commuter hit out at Pret for its “shoddy customer service” while waiting for their morning cuppa at Stratford were a limited service is running on Jubilee and Central lines.

“Shoddy customer service at Stratford this am. Barrista telling off customers for wanting a quicker service when told there’s a train to catch.

“He says ‘then you need to come earlier rather than rush me.’ Wow!! Never going there e again. #pret #customerexperience.”

Another said: “So the tube strike situation made getting into work a little stressful this morning. A whole three hours in a cab… gross.”