Tube strike expected to stop all services as London braces for third day of chaos

theguardian.com:

London faced a third day of severe disruption as London Underground workers went on strike for the second time this week.

Transport for London (TfL) said people should expect all tube services across the capital to be suspended on Thursday, and advised passengers to work from home or walk or cycle where possible, or plan for crowding and delay if using other trains or buses for essential journeys.

The 24-hour strike, which started at midnight, follows a similar walkout on Tuesday by members of the RMT union in a dispute over jobs and pensions.

TfL said it would seek to run limited tube services where possible, mainly on outer stretches of lines above ground, but most people should not expect to be able to use the underground at all.

It hoped to avoid any closures on the overground, but rail services are expected to be busy, and many bus routes are likely to be heavily affected by overcrowding and road congestion.

TfL managed to run a few tube trains during the first strike on Tuesday, but commuters in the capital faced severe congestion on the roads, and difficulty on alternative modes of transport. Some London overground services with tube interchanges were also affected.

Many bus services were overcrowded in rush hour, leaving people unable to board and stranded. Large queues for buses and taxis were reported outside mainline rail stations in central London as demand outstripped supply.

The after-effects of the walkout continued into Wednesday, with tube services starting later in the morning than normal, and sporadic disruption continuing on some routes.

Friday morning rush hour is expected to be as disrupted as on Wednesday, with tube services starting only from 8am, TfL said.

The dispute comes as London grapples with the