If you struggled on your way into work today we’ve got bad news – there are more bus strikes to come.
Members of the Unite union staged a 24 hour walk-out from 4am in a row over pay in a strike set to continue until the early hours of Friday morning.
Transport for London said almost half of the buses which normally operate in the morning were running. This was more than at the same time during a previous strike in January, said TfL.
Morning misery: Stranded commuters in London on Thursday
Two further 24-hour strikes are planned for 13 and 16 February.
Unite is seeking a single pay and conditions agreement across all the capital's 18 bus companies, saying wage rates vary by up to £3 an hour.
Mike Weston, TfL's director of buses, said: "I am very sorry that the leadership of Unite is intent on disrupting the journeys of London's 6.5 million daily bus passengers, especially given that only 16% of bus drivers voted for strike action.
Two further 24-hour strikes are planned
"Bus driver rates of pay have been negotiated and agreed between Unite and the bus companies individually under a long-standing and jointly agreed process. This has regularly resulted in pay rises above the rate of inflation.
"As in all professions, bus drivers have different levels of experience and it is only right that this can be reflected in pay. A 'levelling up' of pay to the highest rates would result in higher fares and cuts to bus services for passengers and fewer jobs for bus drivers.
"Today's strike is likely to mean significant disruption to bus services and I urge customers to please check our website for the latest news. We are getting up-to-date information to customers as quickly as possible to ensure that they can continue to get around the city."