The Tube carried 56 per cent of its usual passenger numbers this morning, a record high for a strike day
  • Around 80 per cent of stations open, more than yesterday
  • Around 90 per cent of usual number of Oyster cards used on overall TfL network this morning
  • Over 70 per cent increase in Barclays Cycle Hires this morning
  • Barclays Cycle Hire journeys yesterday highest since the Olympic Games
  • Full and enhanced services operating on London Overground, DLR and Tramlink

London Underground (LU) is operating 52 per cent of Tube services today despite the pointless strike called by the leadership of the RMT union. 

This is far higher than during the last strike in February. 

LU carried 56 per cent of its usual passenger numbers this morning, which is a record for a strike day.  

Around 80 per cent of stations are open and services are running on 10 of the 11 lines. 

This morning services ran on all Tube lines during morning peak travel and three Tube lines are running services on their entire line.  

Around 90 per cent of Oyster cards that would usually be seen on the TfL network have been seen today - showing that London is again working and open for business.

Barclays Cycle Hire journeys are up by over 70 per cent and journeys yesterday reached record numbers since the Olympic games.

Many thousands of staff and volunteer Travel Ambassadors drawn from TfL's support functions are out in force working hard to help customers and road users make their journeys.

The strikes have been called by the leadership of the RMT union over plans to modernise the Tube.

Under these plans, at the busiest stations there will be nearly a third more staff visible and available to provide, on a permanent basis, the face-to-face customer service offered during the London 2012 Games. 

Visitors to London and people with disabilities will be better looked after than ever before.

The modernisation will see savings of £50 million a year which will be reinvested in more frequent and reliable train services and will help keep fares down.

Safety and security will never be compromised. 

Safety is not controlled from ticket offices but by station supervisors and dedicated control rooms. 

This will  continue.

Mike Brown, Managing Director of London Underground, said:

'I'm sorry that Londoners are enduring more disruption today as a result of the RMT's pointless strike action. The only sensible course is for the RMT leadership to call off the strikes and get back to working with us to shape the future of the Tube, as the other three unions are doing.'

'With more staff arriving for work than yesterday, we have been able to run 52 per cent of the train service and keep around 80 per cent of stations open.  We have carried 56 per cent of our normal passengers this morning and nearly ninety per cent of the normal number of Oyster cards have been used across the TfL public transport network.'   

'We again have a record number of buses operating and full or enhanced services on the London Overground, DLR and Tramlink.

'Under our plans to modernise the Tube, we're committed to a safe railway with an increased number of visible staff - by 30 per cent at our busiest stations - personally serving our passengers.  That means more staff than ever on hand providing help for customers who need it most.'

'Fairness to our staff is guaranteed. There will be no compulsory redundancies, there is a job for all staff wanting to remain with us and no one will lose pay.  We have made significant changes to our original proposals after listening to our people and the unions in over 40 meetings.'

Latest Travel advice to customers (12.45):

The situation may change throughout the day.  

TfL is urging all customers to check before they travel at tfl.gov.uk and by following @TfLTravelAlerts, @TfLTrafficNews and @TfLBusAlerts on Twitter.

London Underground

Services are currently operating as follows:

Bakerloo line @bakerlooline  

Services operating between Queens Park and Elephant and Castle    

Central line @centralline 

Trains are running:

  • Epping - Leytonstone
  • Woodford - Hainault
  • Hainault - Marble Arch
  • White City - Ealing Broadway/West Ruislip    

Circle line @circleline  

Services are running:

  • Hammersmith - Aldgate     

District line @districtline  

Trains are running:

  • Upminster - Wimbledon
  • Ealing Broadway - High Street Kensington
  • Edgware Road - Kensington Olympia     

Hammersmith & City line @hamandcityline  

Trains are running:

  • Edgware Road - Barking    

Jubilee line @jubileeline 

Trains are running on the whole line at a reduced frequency     

Metropolitan line @metline 

Trains are running:

  • Amersham - Baker Street
  • Uxbridge - Harrow-on-the-Hill
  • Harrow-on-the-Hill - Aldgate    

Northern line @northernline   

Good service     

Piccadilly line @piccadillyline 

No service is  operating through the central area.  

Trains are running:

  • Action Town - Heathrow Airport, Terminals 1, 2 & 3
  • A reduced Heathrow Express service will run on Tuesday 29 April and Wednesday 30 April due to separate strike action by the RMT.

Heathrow Express plans to run two trains an hour between Heathrow and Paddington and back.

Check www.heathrowexpress.com for more information.Heathrow Connect services will not be operating due to this separate strike action by the RMT    

Victoria line @victorialine

Service operating on the whole line at reduced frequency.     

Waterloo & City line @wlooandcityline  

Services concluded at 10am as planned.    

DLR

A normal service will operate. Some stations where there is an interchange with London Underground may be affected.

Buses

  • A record number of London buses are operating across 700 routes. Services are being boosted with over 250 extra buses added to the fleet.
  • TfL Ambassadors and volunteers are being deployed to bus stations and hubs to provide customers with travel information and advice on the ground.

London Overground

A normal service is operating. Some stations where there is an interchange with London Underground may be affected.

Tramlink

A normal service is operating.

Emirates Air Line

A normal service is operating. LU tickets are being accepted on Emirates Air Line services.

Cycling

  • Barclays Cycle Hire is available to members and casual users, although demand is high, and cycles harder to access, during peak times;
  • Londoners who own a bike are encouraged to cycle to and from work, and a Cycle Journey Planner is provided at tfl.gov.uk/cyclejourneyplanner;
  • TfL has written to hundreds of businesses across London to ask them to be flexible and make it easy for staff to cycle to work, and to allow staff to wear casual clothes on the day.

River Services

•    River services are coming back into service following suspension earlier this morning due to fog.

Roads and the Congestion Charge

•    To help keep traffic flowing, the Congestion Charge will remain in operation throughout the strike;

•    TfL will be delaying or curtailing road works on major London roads wherever possible and has encouraged all London boroughs to take similar measures on their network. TfL will also work with the Metropolitan Police to minimise the impact of congestion;

•    TfL will be working to keep traffic flowing around major transport hubs;

•    Londoners and commuters are encouraged to keep journeys by car to a minimum to enable public transport to move freely.

ENDS

 

Notes to Editors:

 

A number of other alternative travel options are available today, including:

National Rail

•    Oyster Pay As You Go is accepted for all National Rail journeys within Greater London

•    Travelcards are also valid for travel on National Rail within the zones purchased.

•    A reduced Heathrow Express service will run on Tuesday 29 April and Wednesday 30 April due to separate strike action by the RMT. Heathrow Express plans to run two trains an hour between Heathrow and Paddington and back. Check www.heathrowexpress.com for more information.

Coaches

  • Several coach operators, including National Express and Green Line, offer services that stop in a number of locations throughout London. Some of the core coach routes are as follows:
  • Golders Green - Finchley Road - Baker Street - Marble Arch - Victoria Coach Station (National Express)
  • Brent Cross - Finchley Road - Baker Street - Marble Arch - Victoria (Green Line)
  • Hillingdon - Shepherd's Bush/Baker Street - Marble Arch - Victoria (Oxford Tube & X90)
  • Hammersmith - Kensington - Hyde park Corner - Victoria (Green Line)
  • Stratford - Bow - Aldgate - Victoria Coach Station (National Express)
  • Bexley - Canary Wharf - Aldgate - Embankment - Victoria Street (Commuter Services)
  • Coulsdon - Wallington - Streatham - Stockwell - Victoria Coach Station (National Express)
  • Sutton - Wallington - Streatham - Stockwell - Victoria Coach Station (National Express)
  • Eltham - Lewisham - Walworth - Elephant & Castle - Victoria Coach Station (National Express)

Tickets can be purchased in advance from the Victoria Coach Station ticket hall, or on the operators websites:

http://www.nationalexpress.com for main site and bookings.

http://coach.nationalexpress.com/nxbooking/stop-finder to find where the coach stops are in London

http://www.greenline.co.uk for main site and bookings

http://www.greenline.co.uk/timetables-search/ for location of stops in London

www.oxfordtube.com

http://x90.oxfordbus.co.uk

Taxis & Private Hire

  • During peak times a marshalled taxi service will operate at eight major London rail termini - Euston, Waterloo, Liverpool St, London Bridge, King's Cross, Victoria, Charing Cross, and Marylebone. The marshals will manage taxi and  passenger queues and provide advice and assistance to taxi passengers and other members of the public;
  • Private hire and minicab services will be running as normal. Details for licensed private hire and minicab operators in London are available at tfl.gov.uk/cabwise.

Walking

  • Walking maps will be provided online, in bus, rail, and Tube stations in Zone 1 and other key outer London stations, with TfL Ambassadors and volunteers helping people plan their routes around the city;
  • People are urged to use here walking for short journeys, where possible.