Londoners refuse to be beaten by Tube strike as delays continue

A police officer helps commuters to board buses during the strike at Kings Cross underground station in London yesterday.Evening Standard/LondonAlmost nine out of ten regular commuters have refused to be defeated by the Tube strike and have battled into work on public transport, according to official figures.Transport chiefs said 86% of regular Oyster card passengers travelled on rail, bus, DLR and a reduced Tube service yesterday.The 48-hour walkout by the RMT and TSSA over Tube ticket office closures and job losses again crippled Tube services.TfL said there was a slight improvement in services on Wednesday with a normal DLR service, Bakerloo line reopened between Elephant & Castle and Queen’s Park; Central Line running from eastern branches to Marble Arch and the Piccadilly Line extended from Heathrow to Hammersmith. Paddington Tube station was shut for the second successive day.But there were long queues for taxis and buses and heavy congestion on the A40, A13 and M3.LU Managing Director, Mike Brown said: “ACAS have invited LU and the RMT and TSSA unions for talks on our plans for the modernisation of the Tube this Friday.“We welcome further talks, and the unions’ decision to return to ACAS, but why wait till Friday? I call on the leaderships of the RMT and TSSA to meet us so we can get on with talks to resolve this issue and avoid any more unecessary disruption to Londoners.”Talks between unions and London Underground have been scheduled for today amid the first hint of optimism that the dispute may be resolved.Asked whether next week’s 48-hour walkout strikes will take place, Transport for London commissioner Sir Peter Hendy told BBC London radio, “I’m sure this will get sorted out. I’d be surprised if there’s anymore. Too many people have a bad time.”In a message to members last night, RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: “Our strike action has been rock solid and this has meant the London Underground network has effectively been closed down. This isn’t a boast but a fact which can leave LUL in no doubt of the determination of RMT members to put a stop to their disastrous plans to cut nearly 1,000 jobs and close ticket offices.“RMT members have spoken with their feet and I thank you for your support for your union throughout this dispute. Keep it up! Unity is strength.”TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes said: “All we have is a fringe service in the outer suburbs with virtually the whole of central London dependent on a skeleton service. Over 70% of the normal service is at a standstill.”Cab firm Addision Lee said at morning rush hour yesterday they were receiving around 350% more calls than usual - comparable to the busiest days of the Christmas party season.Increased numbers of buses and cars on the road, average journey times across the capital increased by 54% as well.Meanwhile a picture of a tube worker asleep in a ticket booth has emerged. A London Underground sign propped in front of the recumbent worker reads: “Information only. Please use the ticket machines.”The photograph was said to have been taken at Paddington last night as thousands of people packed the station to make an early getaway before the strike.Fashion worker Nicki Asher wrote: “This photo taken this evening doesn’t bode well for your argument that ticket offices should stay open”.One Twitter user wrote: “TFL worker hard at work tonight at Paddington preparing for the strike. Not sure about you but if I passed out on my desk at work it would go down like a stack of bricks.”Another tweeted the photo to the RMT, asking: “Is this what you are trying to protect?”