Commuters arrive to find Underground stations CLOSED until 7.30am

Londoners faced more chaos on the Tube today, with many services still not running during the morning rush, following yesterday’s strike.

Despite official action only being scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday, passengers were warned to expect ‘severe disruption each morning, with services improving by late morning’.

But many commuters were left frustrated as they turned up to underground stations to find the gates closed and, for the second day running, having to turn to alternative forms of transport to get to work. 

The TfL website just after 7am showed all lines were either suspended, part-suspended or running with a reduced service or minor delays, with the exception of the Victoria and Central lines, as well as TfL rail. 

It comes after there was widespread fury yesterday at the timing of the strike – in the first full week since the end of all remaining Covid restrictions – which sparked the worst traffic in the capital in three years. 

The strike ground the capital to a halt, just as workers were returning to the office in their droves – with commuters fighting at packed bus stops and accusing cab-hailing services including Uber of ‘scamming’ the public by adding an extra £40 to fares.  

There are fresh reports this morning of Uber cashing in by doubling the usual price of fares, though the company insisted yesterday it had capped the level that prices can surge and was ‘working hard’ to ensure there are enough drivers to meet demand. 

Commuters around London Bridge are effected by London Underground Tube Strike yesterday busses and roads are thought to be busier than usual

Commuters near London Bridge queue for a bus with tube services still disrupted following yesterday’s strike 

Many commuters were left frustrated as they turned up to underground stations to find the gates closed

Even in the early hours of the morning, a long queue started to form at a bus stop at London Bridge, with the tube out of action

Tensions boiled over on Tuesday as passengers tried to force their way to the front of queues and pile onto buses, with fights breaking out in the carnage against a backdrop of heavy rainfall.

More vehicles on the road saw traffic grind to a halt, which only added to the woes of commuters desperately trying to get to work on time. 

Location technology firm TomTom said at 9am the level of road congestion was 119%, which is the highest figure for the capital this year. The level was 80% at the same time last week. The figures represent the proportion of additional time required for journeys compared with free-flow conditions. 

The firm told MailOnline its data revealed that London’s roads were busier this morning than at any point, at any time of day, since the beginning of 2019.

Uber appeared to inflate its prices substantially as a result, while there were reports of cab drivers pitting customers against each other by cancelling some trips in order to pocket higher fares elsewhere.

Similarly, there were delays and cancellations on overground services into the city, which fed-up passengers said ‘add another load of stress to the commute yet again’. 

Around 10,000 members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) have walked out for 24 hours today – and will do so again on Thursday – in a row over jobs, pensions and conditions.

The RMT said its members were ‘solidly supporting’ the industrial action, which added as much as two hours to the length of the commute for many.