Thousands of Tube passengers could be in line for compensation for disruption to journeys - as week starts with problems on FIVE lines

 
Frustration: Jubilee Line passengers are led away from the stranded train after being stuck for two hours
Dick Murray28 May 2012

TUBE bosses are to pay compensation to passengers who suffered major disruption.

Compensation will be a separate deal over and above refunding ticket money.
It could apply to passengers stranded on trains for a long time or having to be walked along tracks to safety.
The announcement came as hundreds of thousands of commuters suffered an appalling start to the week with five Tube lines either part suspended or running with delayed services.
District and Hammersmith & City (H&C) services were suspended between Liverpool Street and Barking with severe delays over the remainder of both routes due to a signal failure at Barking.
Circle line services suffered severe delays due to a separate signal failure at Temple.
Disruption continued throughout the morning peak.
Bakerloo line services were disrupted due to a signal failure at Queen's Park. Northern line trains were delayed by a signal failure at Finchley Central.
Services on the District and H&C later resumed but severe delays continued on both lines throughout the morning and also on the Circle.
Val Shawcross, Labour's transport chief on the London Assembly and deputy leader of the transport committee, said: "The scale of the Tube delays we are getting is completely unacceptable.
"Millions of Londoners who use the Tube every day deserve better than the terrible services they are getting. Boris Johnson is chair of Transport for London (TfL.) He needs to take responsibility and urgently get a grip of the problem."
Nigel Holness, London Underground (LU) Operations Director, said: "There are delays on the District, Circle and Hammersmith & City lines this morning due to signal failures at West Ham, Temple and Westminster. Our technicians are on site and working as quickly as possible to repair the faults.
"Trains are moving through the area but more slowly than usual, so customers are advised to use other services where possible. I apologise to customers who have experienced delays this morning."
The compensation move follows the decision to pay £40 to each of the 800 passengers caught up in last Wednesday's Jubilee line chaos.
Passengers were stranded in sweltering heat for up to three hours before being walked along the tunnel to safety.
Transport for London (TfL) confirmed today "we would not hesitate to provide an appropriate level of compensation in future."
Over time, compensation could cost TfL - ultimately the tax and fare payer - hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Tube bosses are contacting all those caught up in the Jubilee line fisaco through their Oyster card details and adding both the £40 compensation and ticket refunds automatically.
Passengers not using Oyster and entitled to a refund were today urged to contact TfL's Customer Services team.
Shashi Verma, TfL's Director of Customer Experience, said: "We apologise to customers caught up in the Jubilee line disruption and have taken prompt action to refund and provide an appropriate level of compensation.
"Using Oyster contact details we have been in touch directly with those passengers caught in the disruption and will be proving refunds and compensation over the next couple of days. Any other passengers who are entitled to a refund and have not been contacted by TfL should call our customer services team"
Exact detail of what will trigger compensation payments has yet to be decided.
The £40 Jubilee compensation level was agreed by senior management as "appropriate, given the circumstances."
Tens of thousands of passengers suffered more Jubilee line disruption Friday evening. Severe delays along the route lasted for more than six hours because of a power supply problem.
Delays started at 6.15 pm because of the problem between Baker Street and Finchley Road. Service was not suspended but trains were ordered to run slowly through the area whick caused knock-on delays along the remainder of the line. TfL confirmed delays lasted for the rest of the evening.
Passengers used Twitter to vent the anger and frustration. Jayden Rush wrote: "And yet again massive delays on the Jubilee line. What a joke we are going to be for the Olympics."
Matthew Adams Tweeted in agreement: "There is no way TfL is going to cope with the Olympics - the Jubilee line is a bloody embarrassment."
Jubilee line services suffered delays again yesterday due to a signal failure at Finchley Road.
Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the London Assembly Lib-Dem group and of the transport committee, has called on Tube bosses to assure Londoners the network will be able to provide a reliable service during the Olympic and Paralympic games.
She is demanding that Mike Brown, London Underground (LU) managing director, provide a detailed briefing on what is being done to minimise disruption between now and the start of the Games.
Ms Pidgeon states in a letter: "I now believe urgent action is needed to assure Londoners, and visitors to London, that LU will be able to provide a reliable service during this Summer's Olympic and Paralympic Games.
"While I appreciate that reports on the four week performance of LU are published on TfL's website, I suggest it is now time, especially in relation to the Jubilee Line, that such information is now published on a weekly basis and published on the website.  If you feel unable to publish these reports every week I would welcome your comments on why this is not possible
"Please would also let me have a detailed briefing on every step that is now being taken to minimise infrastructure and other failures occurring on the London Underground between now and the start of the Games."
RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said; "The chaos of last week has spilled over into this week despite the barrage of lies and excuses from the mayor and his officials.
"This cuts led crisis cannot be allowed to drag on into the Games when three million extra journeys will be thrown at a system that clearly cannot cope with routine demand.



 

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