Tens of thousands of commuters have this morning suffered rush-hour misery because of a strike by London Underground workers and a points failure at the country’s busiest railway station.
The 24-hour walkout by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) and Aslef unions has halted all service on the Central Line through the capital.
It also disrupted services on the Waterloo and City Line, commonly used in morning rush-hour by bankers and other City workers.
The travel misery was worsened after a points failure delayed South West Trains services to and from London Waterloo, which typically handles more than 30,000 passengers every day.
The RMT said the Tube dispute was over a "comprehensive breakdown" in industrial relations, a failure to employ enough drivers, abuse of agreed procedures and the victimisation of a trade union member.
Many expressed their anger on social media this morning.
One commuter wrote: "Remind me of why I pay so much for a season ticket when I have to stand from Worcester Park to Waterloo station 5 days a week?"
Another posted: "Love being stuck in standstill traffic for 30 mins. Thanks to all those striking on the Central line."
Mick Cash, RMT general secretary, said: "RMT members are standing absolutely rock-solid and united the length of the Central Line this morning as they send out the clearest possible signal that they will not be bullied into accepting a wholesale undermining of workplace justice and rights.
"Industrial relations along the Central Line have been at breaking point for some time now and the failure of the management to address the issues, and a conscious decision to up the ante by attempting to single out and pick off individual members of staff, has tipped the situation over the edge and has led to the strike action today.
"The union is angry and frustrated that the management side have squandered a golden opportunity over the past week to resolve the issues at the heart of the dispute through the talks process.
"Today’s action is the clearest possible demonstration to Tube bosses of the level of anger on the job and it’s down to them to take the situation seriously and engage in genuine talks around reaching a solution to the current disputes."
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