TfL reports "decent staff turnout" despite tube strike

Commuters tested other forms of transport on their morning trip to work this morning, such as extra buses, the Docklands Light Railway, National Rail services, Thames Clippers and free City Cruises river shuttles.

The Jubilee line operated with only minor delays, and TfL confirmed the Northern line was running as normal because the maintenance depots were predominantly staffed by members of the Aslef union, which is not in dispute with London Underground. Tubelines staff were also at work this morning.

A TfL spokesman said: "We had a decent staff turnout today. We've had some RMT union members coming into work as well.

"It seems the support the RMT leadership thought they had isn't there."

A total of 3,000 RMT members voted for action after London Underground failed to offer a satisfactory pay deal and "refused to rule out compulsory redundancies".

London Mayor Boris Johnson has called the strike a "ludicrous and unnecessary disruption". But Guardian blogger Dave Hill pointed out last month that Mr Johnson's 2008 Transport Manifesto included a pledge to negotiate a "no-strike deal" with unions, but that no news on any deal was forthcoming.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow stated that members had been "driven" into striking.

He said: "RMT doesn't resort to industrial action lightly, that's just a myth peddled by some sections of the media. The fact is that Tube workers have been driven into walking out today.

"On London Underground, bosses are threatening to tear up an agreement aimed at safeguarding jobs, and have refused to rule out compulsory redundancies. Up to 4,000 jobs are at risk as part of a multi-billion pound cuts package that can be traced directly back to the collapse of Metronet and the failure of the PPP.

"RMT have made it clear we expect managers to abide by agreements and we would simply not be doing our job as a union if we allowed the tube to treat our members as cannon fodder who can be hired at fired at will."