Londoners turn to bikes and buses as tube workers strike

Downing Street said Londoners would be "rightly fed up" after commuters turned to other trains, buses and bikes - or just stayed at home - as strikes by the RMT union closed the underground yesterday.

- Gwyn Topham

The numbers attempting to use any public transport were down by about a fifth, according to Transport for London (TfL) data, but that still left many people crowding onto bus and overground services or congested roads at the start of four days of commuter misery.

Buses and the Elizabeth line were taking the strain as the strikes, by RMT train and station staff, left virtually the entire underground network suspended.

Docklands Light Railway trains will not run today or Thursday because of strikes arising in a separate dispute.