COMMUTER chaos has already set in after last-ditch efforts to avoid a two-day Tube strike failed. London Underground drivers were set to walk out at 6.59 this evening to begin a 48-hour strike in protest over pay. Workers dashed to get home before the T

COMMUTER chaos has already set in after last-ditch efforts to avoid a two-day Tube strike failed.

London Underground drivers were set to walk out at 6.59 this evening to begin a 48-hour strike in protest over pay.

Workers dashed to get home before the Tube network was brought to its knees.

Heavy delays have already been reported to all lines, London Overground and national rail services.

The strike will continue until 7pm on Thursday, with services unlikely to return to normal until Friday morning.

District Line stations at Barking, Upney, Becontree, Dagenham Heathway and Dagenham East will all be affected and are likely to be closed.

The walkout - called by the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) Union comes after union leaders rejected an above-inflation pay offer from London Underground.

Transport for London offered two pay options to workers on Friday, including a 1.5 per cent payrise now and a rise of inflation plus 0.5 per cent next year.

The RMT is demanding a five per cent increase and a pledge that no compulsory redundancies will be imposed as London Underground tries to make �2.4billion "efficiency savings".

Extra buses will be drafted in to try to cope with the strike, and Oyster pay-as-you-go tickets will be accepted on all Overground and national rail services, although these are likely to be very crowded.

Reconciliation service Acas met with Transport for London and RMT general secretary Bob Crow this afternoon to try to break the deadlock, but the talks were unsuccessful.