Live map shows Tube train desert through central London on final day of RMT strike

"A map has revealed how central London has been turned into a virtual train desert on the final morning of the Tube strikes. Just the Elizabeth line has been able to run through the West End Thameslink services are still open and able to whisk office workers into the City of London from the north and south of the capital."

"Thousands of commuters have swapped rails for wheels as they try and get to work on buses and bikes. Londoners have cycled to work in record numbers to beat the Tube strike although some have been spotted riding through red lights. The City of London is still being served by the Thameslink and Elizabeth line An extraordinary two million trips are thought to have been made by strikelysts' on Monday, according to London cycling commissioner Will Norman."

"Research by the central London-based Centre for Economics and Business Research, carried out for The Standard, estimated the strikes will cause a direct 230m hit to the capital's economy. Figures show footfall has been down by nearly a third in Canary Wharf Further figures suggested footfall was down by up to a third in Canary Wharf, the city's busy business district."

Central London rail services were severely reduced on the final morning of the Tube strikes, leaving much of the network closed. Only the Elizabeth line and Thameslink continued to serve central areas and the City of London. Thousands of commuters switched to buses, bikes, and other road transport, with cycling rising from a typical 1.4 million weekday journeys to an estimated two million on Monday. Some cyclists were observed riding through red lights and large groups gathered at locations such as Hyde Park Corner. Research estimated a direct £230m hit to the capital's economy, with footfall down across Canary Wharf (about 31%), London Bridge and the City (21%), Westminster (19%) and central London overall (16% at 1pm). The strikes were part of five consecutive RMT walkouts in a dispute with TfL over pay and working hours.

Read at www.standard.co.uk