London's transport systems unable to cope as Britain approaches the 2012 Olympic Games

-

Today marks exactly 81 days until the London 2012 Olympics Games opening ceremony.
In less than three months, after eight years of planning and preparation, London will be hauled onto the biggest stage in the world.
Let’s just think about that for a bit.
Eight years we have had to plan for this, and there are fewer than 100 days to go before thousands upon thousands of people flood into London.
This weekend saw the official opening of the Olympic Stadium, in Stratford, and we had the first glimpse into what it will be like.
Coincidentally, I was in the area, and had the chance to witness first hand as the roads, and trains were put to the test.
Within hours routes around Stratford ground to a halt, a usually seven-minute journey out of Westfield Shopping Centre car park, and onto the main road took around 45 minutes as gridlock ensued.
Officials stood in the roads scratching their heads, directing the traffic as cars squeezed around narrowly missing each other to escape the mayhem.
They decided the best way to deal with the pandemonium was to close off the roads and re-direct the traffic in another direction.
More chaos as throngs of people piled into the stadium amidst the honks and hoots of frustrated motorists caught up in the gridlock.
Eventually we escaped, having navigated the re-directions and road closures to take  a tour of the back streets of Stratford and out of the panic.
That was day one. Actually it wasn’t even day one, the games haven’t started yet.
It was was a glimpse of a fraction of what is to come in just over 80 days.
East London collapsed into chaos as around eight thousand people descended on Stratford.
In July we are expecting about 10 times that amount, day after day after day for six weeks.
What about the trains?
On Saturday night I sent out a tweet plea for reports from the jubilee line. Only one person reported delays, so as I can only go on what I am told, I have to  say Transport for London managed it for that one day.
But what about the rest of the  time?
Exactly a month ago I blogged on the shameful state of the transport system.
Over a 30-day period operators  managed just one day where the underground and railway systems were not riddled with delays and suspended services.
As we draw closer to the time when the system is going to be stretched to its limits, you would think it would be on the way to improvement.
Sadly this is not the case. Once again, for the past month it has been a showcase of incompetence.
Between April 6 and May 6 there has been one day, that’s right just ONE day, without delays on London’s trains.
Once again weekends have been blighted with closures as work is carried out.
During the week the system has once again been hit by a catalogue of failings including faulty trains, faulty signals and a new one on me - loss of radio communication.
I approached TfL a while ago for a comment.
This is what they said.
“London Underground is heading for its most reliable year since TfL took responsibility for the Tube a decade ago, with passenger numbers soaring and average delays at their lowest since 2003/04 according to the latest performance figures for the Tube.”
This is not true, and if it is, if a near 100 per cent failure rate is an improvement then this truly is a shocking reflection on TfL.
“The latest figures cover a four-week period between 11 December 2011 and 7 January 2012 and demonstrate how so far this year London Underground is delivering its most reliable performance ever when compared to previous years.”
Conveniently, their figures are taken over the Christmas and New Year holiday period when use of the system would be minimal with city workers  on holiday and children off school.
No TfL, this does not demonstrate “London Underground is delivering its most reliable performance ever”, it demonstrates TfL can fudge the figures.
“The Tube now looks set to end the year with the lowest average for delays”
I have a set of observations from the past month showing TFL bosses are once again talking out of their proverbials.
Record of delays
April 7 Numerous planned closures
April 8 Central Line severe delays, numerous planned closures
April 9 Numerous planned closures
April 10 Central Line severe delays; Hammersmith and City Line severe delays; Metropolitan Line severe delays and part suspension
April 11 Metropolitan line delays
April 12 Hammersmith and City Line suspended, Jubilee Line delayed
April 13 Hammersmith and City Line part suspended, District Line delays
April 14/ 15 Numerous planned closures
April 16 Jubilee Line delays
April 17 Victoria Line delays
April 18 DLR severe delays; Bakerloo Line severe delays; Metropolitan Line delays; Overground trains suspended
April 20 Overground trains severe delays
April 21/ 22 Numerous planned closures
April 23 Victoria line delays; Central Line severe delays; Jubilee Line delays; DLR delays
April 24 Piccadilly Line delays
April 25 Waterloo and City Line suspended; Northern Line severe delays; Metropolitan Line part suspended, severe delays; Bakerloo Line delays; Jubilee Line delays
April 26 Bakerloo Line part suspended, severe delays; Metropolitan Line delays; Circle Line delays; Piccadilly Line delays; Victoria line delays
April 27 Central Line part suspended
April 28/ 29 Numerous planned closures
April 30 Bakerloo Line delays; Piccadilly Line severe delays
May 1 Victoria Line delays; Bakerloo Line part suspended
May 2 Circle Line delays; Metropolitan Line delayed; Hammersmith and City Line delays; Victoria Line delays; DLR delays
May 3 Bakerloo Line severe delays; Victoria Line severe delays
May 4 Piccadilly Line delays
May 5/6/7 Numerous planned closures

So far then, this means in the past two months, with just days to go until the Olympic Games are held in London, Transport for London has mananged  to get people around the city without delays for TWO out of 65 days. 

And the reason for these delays:
April 7/ 8/ 9 Repair and maintenance
April 10 Signal failures
April 11 Signal failures
April 12 Signal failures, faulty trains
April 13 Signal failures
April 14/ 15  Repair and maintenance
April 16 Person under train
April 18 Signal failures
April 20 Signal failures
April 21/ 22 Repair and maintenance
April 23 Signal failures
April 24 Signal failures
April 25 Signal failures, faulty trains
April 26 Signal failures, faulty trains
April 27 Signal failures
April 28/ 29 Repair and maintenance
April 30 Signal failures
May 1 Signal failures
May 2 “Technical faults”
May 3 Signal failures
May 5/6/7 Repair and maintenance
Mike Brown, managing director of London Underground, said: “We know what a vital year this is for the capital and we are focused 100 per cent on delivering an even more reliable service for Londoners and the millions of people looking forward to the London 2012 Games. 
“The latest figures show that our commitment to drive reliability up is paying dividends, and we will continue to build on these impressive results to give Londoners the world-class transport network that the city deserves.”
I'll leave it to you to decide.....

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Another sour and yawn-inducing offering from Tabloid Watch

-
Image
I t was Oscar Wilde who wrote “the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about”. I have nothing more to add other than to share the following, posted on Tabloid Watch - the website which purports to blog about “bad journalism”. It is in response to Friday's report in the Express putting our money where our mouths are when it comes to reporting the weather. Predictably it follows their usual style of pointless drivel. Point the critical finger guys, be my guest, it does make me chuckle - but while you are doing so, be very careful someone doesn’t have cause to point it firmly back at you.
Read more

Jedward spotted in the city, but what were they up to?

-
Image
I know that hair, I thought to myself as I passed London’s Monument on the way home from work. Those ridiculously elongated, spiky locks, wacky costumes and irritating voices were an immediate giveaway. And of course it only took me a second to recognise Jedward – the X-Factor twins whose ludicrous image and inability to hold a note have propelled them to (semi) fame. I have nothing against them, I am only being mean, and credit where it’s due, they are fiercely determined, and have built up a pretty unique act for themselves. So well done brothers Grimes. But it has to be said, the act is based around being cringe-worthingly bad at everything they try. They only made it through on the X-Factor because Simon Cowell was won over by their determination and self-belief – and let’s face it, that is really all it takes. At one point during the sing off with another band, they barged their way to the front and took over, throwing the other (better) act into the...
Read more
-
Image
It’s been three weeks since Boris unshackled most of the UK from a year and a half of Covid incarceration. We are now ‘free’, whatever that means, because it feels anything but.  What was I expecting­? Street parties, jubilant crowds running the streets, mask-burnings, a national celebration with Gary Barlow freedom anthem live from Hyde Park? I’m not sure. But certainly not this. I’ve emerged into a strange new world I must navigate with unremitting caution, one eye trained sniper-like on a microbial menace muscling in on my every move. I can go out and do things but must be ‘sensible’; I can meet friends, but even when we’re off the isolation hook, will spend days waiting for ‘the ping’; and while I’m no longer obliged to mask-up, only piggishly selfish and inconsiderate bottom-holes parade supermarket aisles shamelessly flaunting unguarded, disease-spewing cavities. (pic: Matt Seymour. C/o Unsplash) We’re trapped in a not-really-post-apocalyptic limbo. Everything we do comes wit...
Read more