London Underground services are returning to normal after a second day of travel disruption.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union ended their 48-hour walkout at 1800 on Tuesday. Up to 70% of services ran during Tuesday and just a handful of stations were closed, according to London Underground.

Rail managers said services ran at near normal levels on several lines, but the RMT insisted its members strongly supported the action.

Jimmy Knapp: "London Underground are talking up the situation"

The strike was called after the union demanded no compulsory redundancies under plans to partly privatise the tube.

Transport Minister John Reid has attacked the industrial action as "unreasonable and unnecessary".

General Secretary of the RMT, Jimmy Knapp, said the strike had been "solidly supported" by his members.

Union demands 'unreasonable'

London Underground said the unions demands for no compulsory redundancies could not be met. The company said the union also wanted a four-day, 32-hour week, which it described as "totally unreasonable".

Separate briefings were held at the conciliation service Acas last week, but not enough common ground was found to bring the two sides together for talks.

In previous strikes by RMT members about half of Underground services have run, although there have been big variations between lines.

The strike is expected to cost London Underground about £2m.