Catriona Spence drags bags of rubbish back into her city restaurant

Lothian Buses pulled its fleet from the capitals streets on Tuesday forcing workers to walk or find alternative methods of transport.

Taxi firms in the city reported a huge surge in business as the industrial action got underway.

Even public toilets were closed in the capital as a result of the strike.

Only private dust carts were on the streets to remove paying commercial customers' rubbish.

During the morning rush hour the capital's roads ground to a halt as they groaned with the extra cars.

I left my flat in The Shore to catch a taxi but there was such a huge queue at the rank that I had to share one with these two strangers Allana Morrison Shop assistant

However, later the roads emptied as motorists reached work and central car parks.

Allana Morrison, 23, a shop assistant, said: "I left my flat in The Shore to catch a taxi but there was such a huge queue at the rank that I had to share one with these two strangers and then it took me 45 minutes to get to work as opposed to the normal 15 minutes because the traffic was so bad."

Some people who were unaware of the strike stood waiting at Lothian Buses stops while tourists asked why museums were shut.

Mr Middlemass, owner of The Baked Potato Shop stuck with rubbish

Charles Middlemass, 54, owner of The Baked Potato Shop in the city's Cockburn Street, said: "I am annoyed that the rubbish has to sit outside my shop all day and then that I will have to bring it inside again at night to stop it from being opened up by animals."

Catriona Spence, 24, a city centre restaurant manager, said she had been forced to put 10 bags of rubbish, which had not been uplifted, back off the street and into a storeroom.

"I totally understand why this strike is happening but it is causing real hassle.

"The rubbish looks so bad at the front door that I'm having to bring it back inside.

"I also had to pay for a taxi this morning, which was annoying."

Gerry Storin, 45, an Edinburgh Council buildings standards surveyor, said: "We are annoyed about the inequality over what is happening with the pensions, a teacher can draw a pension at 60 but their assistant has to wait until 65, it's not fair."