Speaking ahead of the strike, the London Underground boss warned that a 24-hour strike will cause 'big disruption' in the capital, and branded it 'totally unnecessary'.
Managing director Mike Brown said in a message to passengers that the company had 'strained every muscle' to put together a 'remarkably fair' pay offer for the introduction of new all-night Tube services from September.
The action coincides with a 48-hour stoppage by workers on First Great Western which will disrupt trains to and from London Paddington.
Workers involved in the two separate disputes will stage a rally outside Paddington just before the strikes start.
Talks aimed at averting the LU strike broke down after the two sides had met at the conciliation service Acas.
Transport for London have put a extra 200 buses on the roads which are expected to be gridlocked in rush hours as many are forced to drive into and back from work due to the Tube strike.
Extra river services will also run, but warned that roads and all public transport will be much busier than usual.
Mr Brown urged unions to suspend the strike and put the pay offer to their members because it was different from a previous one.
'The planned strike will cause big disruption to the people and economy of London. It is also totally unnecessary.
Stephan Naylar, who works for Fujitsu in Oxford Street, said: 'I am against the strike but I understand why they are doing it. The unions will do what they have to do to help their members. It just means everyone else has change their travel arrangements, which is very frustrating.'Steve Glands, who works for a recruitment agency near Oxford Circus said: 'I left work to try and avoid any disruption. I think the strike is unreasonable really. It's not fair on the rest of us.
I understand why they are doing it, but everyone has to deal with changes in their working conditions. They should just deal with it. They get paid well above the average wage already and it's not fair.
'Tomorrow I'm just going to have to get a train to Waterloo and to Oxford Circus walk from there. At least it will be some exercise.'
Another commuter who wished not to be named said: 'I doesn't seem fair at all. They get paid better than most people, so I don't see why they need more.
'But the fact is London relies on the underground and public transport, but it doesn't mean we should be made to suffer.'
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