Tube 'back to normal' after strike

The strike on Thursday stopped 90% of trains

Services on London's Underground have returned to normal after the network was brought to a near standstill on Thursday.

The Tube strike ended at 2000 BST but delays continued later on Thursday night with the full service only beginning at 0500 BST on Friday.

Travellers endured hours of chaos as the walkout by union members over safety stopped 90% of trains.

Many of the three million people affected opted to catch the bus or use their cars to get to work.

'Lip service'

The strike was called by the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, which is opposing government plans to bring in private engineering companies to modernise the Tube.

The union's leader, Bob Crow, apologised to the public for the strike, but said London Underground had paid only "lip service" to his members' concerns over safety when the Tube is part-privatised.

London Mayor Ken Livingstone refused to condemn the strike.

He said the Tube's public private partnership (PPP) plan was being imposed "against the wishes of the great majority of Londoners".