Commuters struggle to work during Tube strike AFP

COMMUTERS are facing more travel misery today as the Tube strike continues to cause major disruption in the capital.

Trade union leaders and transport bosses are to continue their discussion over the issue of redundancies after a proposed solution was drawn up by conciliation service Acas last night.

The document was amended by the RMT and Transport for London (TfL) bosses were expecting to see it late last night or early this morning.

"In the meantime we would urge the RMT to end the strike," a TfL spokesman said.

Millions of commuters, tourists and football fans encountered problems yesterday as London Underground workers began a 48-hour walkout.

Last night, Wembley was less than two-thirds full with only 58,000 fans attending the World Cup qualifier between England and Andorra. Supporters travelling to and from the stadium were faced with long and difficult journeys.

Although many Underground lines were running some kind of service, overground trains from Euston and Marylebone to Wembley Central were cancelled amid fears of overcrowding.

Six out of 10 London businesses were hit by the strike, which will cost the capital's economy more than £100 million over the full 48 hours, according to the London Chamber of Commerce.

A war of words continued between RMT and TfL. The train drivers' union Aslef also weighed in to hit out at the RMT over calls for its members to join the strike.

An Aslef spokesman said progress was being made in talks with TfL, adding: "For example, the LU demand for a five-year deal has been dropped and they now want a two-year arrangement.

"You don't need to be a tactical genius to recognise that strike action is not appropriate when you are making progress. Our union reserves industrial action for times when negotiations have broken down."

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, also launched an attack on the RMT, calling the industrial action "one of the most insensitive Tube strikes that have ever been held in this city," and adding: "Anybody looking at this and looking at the way they have continually switched the grounds...can see that they have absolutely been spoiling for this."

He dismissed claims made by the RMT that he sabotaged the deal as "absolute b****cks."

TfL has laid on extra buses, free ferry services and cycle parking and urged people to stagger their journey or walk to work.

The strike is due to end at 7pm today.