The move comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson renewed the government’s appeal for people to stop making non-essential journeys, start working from home, and avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other forms of non-essential social contact.

Up to 40 London Underground stations that do not interchange with other lines are closed until further notice.

They include Charity Cross, Chancery Lane and Mansion House, in the centre of the city, as well as a number of commuter stations such as Clapham South and Hampstead.

From tomorrow there will be no Waterloo & City line. Until further notice, on Friday and Saturday nights there will be no all-night 'Night Tube' service or the all-night 'Night Overground' service that currently runs on the East London line, to ensure the resilience of the regular services. Late services on both the Tube and Overground will continue to run for essential journeys.

London buses will operate fewer services, but TfL says its extensive night bus network will continue to provide critical workers with a reliable night option on Friday and Saturday nights and throughout the week.

From Monday 23 March, TfL will gradually reduce the frequency of other services across the TfL network to provide a service for critical workers to get to where they need to - ensuring that remaining services are not overcrowded. TfL is aiming to run Tube trains every four minutes in Zone 1, with the possibility that this will reduce further.

Similarly, from next week until further notice, London Overground, TfL Rail, the DLR and London Trams will run fewer services.  Although these are the services TfL plans to run, the transport provider says if fewer staff are available further measures may be needed.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: ‘'People should not be travelling, by any means, unless they really, really have to. Londoners should be avoiding social interaction unless absolutely necessary, and that means they should be avoiding using the transport network unless absolutely necessary.

'London will get through these extraordinarily challenging times, and ensuring the capital's critical workers can move around the city will be crucial.’

TfL has also said that while most travellers now use pay as you go to travel around London, any customers who have a season ticket loaded onto an Oyster card and require a refund can contact the Customer Services team on 0343 222 1234.

TfL is also waiving the £5 admin fee when processing refunds for customers who are following government guidance to self-isolate or work from home.

Stations on the closure list include:

Bakerloo line 

• Lambeth North
• Regents Park
• Warwick Avenue
• Kilburn Park
• Charing Cross  

Central line 

• Holland Park
• Queensway
• Lancaster Gate
• Chancery Lane
• Redbridge

Circle line 

• Bayswater
• Great Portland Street
• Barbican

District line 

• Bow Road
• Stepney Green
• Mansion House
• Temple
• St James's Park
• Gloucester Road

Jubilee line 

• Swiss Cottage
• St John's Wood
• Bermondsey
• Southwark

Northern line 

• Tufnell Park
• Chalk Farm
• Mornington Crescent
• Goodge Street
• Borough
• Clapham South
• Tooting Bec
• South Wimbledon
• Hampstead  

Piccadilly line 

• Caledonian Road
• Arsenal
• Covent Garden
• Hyde Park Corner
• Bounds Green
• Manor House

Victoria line 

• Pimlico
• Blackhorse Road 

Correct at time of publication: Thursday 19 March 2020 (10:09)