Why does TfL have so many transport problems?
What's going on with TfL?
Commuters in London have faced chaos this month – station closures, tube delays and fire alerts.
Today, a strike by TSSA tube staff saw both Pimlico and Russell Square stations shut down and a fire alert closed Balham station earlier this morning.
Planned engineering works also mean no service between Golders Green and Edgware on the Northern Line.
The Bakerloo line will be shut in only a couple weeks time, too.
So we got to thinking, what’s going on with the Tube? And what is Transport for London (TfL) doing about it?
An outdated system?
First created in 1863, it’s no wonder the underground train tracks spread across London need a lot of upkeep.
TfL has been working for years to replace old trains – mainly on the Bakerloo and Central Lines – to keep up with the massive amount of use they get.
Perhaps the worst lines on the system, the Bakerloo and Central lines have suffered delays and cancellations due to the inability of TfL to buy new trains.
In 2022, TfL hashed out a £3,600,000,000 funding deal with the government that would last until March this year. However, the government included several conditions to the budget, including not being able to buy new trains for the Bakerloo and Central lines.
A shortage of Central line trains isn’t helping either. The transport agency said in January that months-long delays riddling the line are down in part to a lack of materials, such as DC motors, making it a challenge to upgrade the stock.
The Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines have all been updated to have air-conditioned, walk-through trains.
However outdated signalling systems mean the phrase ‘signal failure’ is a phase all too well known to riders.
TfL says these failures cause delays ‘because signals are designed to “failsafe” whenever a fault occurs, signals turn to red and trains stop running’. Transit officials stress they are upgrading signalling systems across the network.
In December 2023, ministers and TfL got a £250,000,000 funding injection to help improve the system.
The Piccadilly Line is next to receive new trains. But for now, commuters will continue to have delays and outdated trains.
Strikes
Strikes have become very common in recent years across TfL, as Aslef tube drivers fight for changes to terms and conditions.
The union has picketed to protest their below-inflation pay increase.
Mick Whelan, the ASLEF general secretary, said in March: ‘We have given the government every opportunity to come to the table but it has now been a year since we had any contact from the Department for Transport.’
A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators, said: ‘Nobody wins when industrial action impacts people’s lives and livelihoods, and we will work hard to minimise any disruption to our passengers.
‘We want to resolve this dispute, but the ASLEF leadership need to recognise that hard-pressed taxpayers are continuing to contribute an extra £54m a week just to keep services running post-COVID.
‘We continue to seek an agreement with the ASLEF leadership and remain open to talks to find a solution to this dispute.’
Engineering works
TfL does regular maintenance to improve stations and rail lines to keep up with the constant wear and tear on services.
Network Rail explains on its website: ‘When we need to change track layouts, update signalling systems or carry out other major engineering works, we have to plan this for bank holidays and close a section of the track for 24 hours.
‘The railway is relatively quiet at this time, so although there is still the inevitable disruption, it does affect fewer people.’
This means that sometimes stations and lines are shut down temporarily – for instance, there is no service between Golders Green and Edgware until tomorrow due to engineering work.
TfL says in its list of planned track closures that there will be no service between the two Northern line stations again on several weekends in June and July.
Kentish Town station is closed until late summer 2024 – a date which has already been delayed – as TfL works to replace escalators and improve the station.
Northwest London’s Colindale station will be shut between June and December, for ‘station improvements’.
On April 27 and 28, the entire Bakerloo line will not be running. TfL does not list a reason for the closure on its line status page.
The trains on the line are more than 50 years old – and 10 years past their expiration date.
Despite this, new Bakerloo line trains won’t be introduced until 2029 ‘onwards’.
TfL has been contacted for comment.
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