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Millions of passengers face commuter chaos today as the RMT union stages a 48-hour strike over pay and jobs on the London Underground. Follow live updates on the strike and the disruption, and share stories of your journey into work

What Guardian journalists are saying on Twitter about their commutes to work

8.47am:
Photos from the picket line in Neasden.

8.40am:
Northern and Jubilee lines are running the best service, according to tube blogger, Annie Mole. But she points out that the Bakerloo, Central, Circle, Hammersmith & City, and Waterloo & City Lines are completely suspended.

“Northern Line running more efficiently than normal. Who would have thunk it,” tweets Dan Cohen.

8.30am:
It was a nice idea, but only 16 people set off on the bike tube from Swiss Cottage, according to BBC London. A cycling colleague has made it to the office complaining that the roads are full of biking amateurs.

8.21am:
BBC London rounds up the latest on the disruption on Audioboo:

8.01am:
Key figures in the strike have been giving interviews and issuing statements.

RMT leader Bob Crow, at a picket line outside Seven Sisters Tube said:

Acas officials went off to get the document typed up and by the time they came back the underground management had reneged on it.

The whole thing stinks of last minute sabotage and RMT believes that must have come from the very top, and the finger is pointing at Boris Johnson and Transport Commissioner Peter Hendy.

Johnson needs to stop the political grandstanding and meet direct with RMT to settle the pay, jobs and bullying issues at the heart of this strike.

Hendy said:

We regret the disruption the strike will cause to passengers as the impact on Tube services is likely to be significant. However, the Mayor and TfL have prepared plans to keep London moving and thousands of TfL staff will be on hand across the city to help our passengers.

A massive effort is being made, including boosting bus and river services, providing escorted commuter cycle rides, more central London cycle parking and distributing thousands of walking maps at central London rail and Tube stations.

We urge everyone travelling in and around London during the strike to check before you travel and to consider the wide range of alternative travel options.

Johnson told BBC London the strike was “unnecessary and misery-making” for travellers and urged the union to return to the negotiations.

“The two sides are extremely close - it is essential that people of goodwill get around the negotiating table.”

7.56am:
My colleague Dave Hill is blogging live from the river bank, and he’s just spotted the London Mayor. “Boris now climbing aboard to clipper bound for Canary Wharf. I can see him from the Embankment roadside here, surrounded by cameras and hacks.”

7.30am:
The dispute is over pay, jobs and pay, and disciplinary issues, as Hélène Mulholland explains in this Q&A.

RMT leader Bob Crow sets out the union’s argument with the London Underground’s management, on Comment is Free. “RMT is committed to a modern and safe public transport system for Londoners. That cannot be achieved by axing jobs, slashing rates of pay and imposing massive cutbacks on the tube.”

Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, says the RMT’s demands are outrageous.

There is much bile being directed at Crow and the RMT on Twitter, but ITN found quite a lot of sympathy for the strikers from tourists and commuters.

7.23am:
Blogger and community-spirited biker Paul Clarke is is offering a free motorbike ride into work from 7.30am and will be tweeting his location at #tweetbike. ” I will ride immensely sensibly (and have 25 years of experience) but all lifts are at your own risk. There is no commercial aspect to this idea. No transaction, nada,” he writes.

Amanda Dahl photographed what she called “tube strike insanity at Canary Wharf” last night.

Huddle Up lists ten reasons why you are better off during a Tube strike. Number one is “You don’t need to spend an hour inside an ancient, rattly, smelly, hot, noisy tube”.

Melabee has posted a screengrab of a TfL’s journey planner suggestion for his route today. It involves three buses, a walk and a rail train.

Walkit.com - the urban walking route planner - provides advice on the best route to work on foot and will tell you how many calories you could burn and how much carbon you’ve saved.

7.19am:
Five “Bike Tubes” - escorted rides by London Cycling Campaign volunteers - are preparing to set off five separate locations across London. They will leave at 7.45am from Brixton, Finsbury Park, Mile End, Ravenscourt Park, and Swiss Cottage and follow the the tube routes into central London (above ground).

Oyster cards are being accepted today and tomorrow at most Rail stations, and 100 extra buses are being put on. There are also boat rides and taxi sharing schemes, according to Transport for London.

100 extra buses are being put on.

7.12am:
There problems on all the Underground Lines except the Northern Line.

Tags: Guardian //