Tube drivers pass 54 red lights in month as blunders are revealed

There were 128 other incidents on the network serious enough to require an official report and further investigation in the month ending 30 January, bringing the total to 182.

In one, a train struck a ladder which had been left suspended above the track by sub-contractors. In another, a train overshot the platform because of too much grease on the lines.

Apart from the potentially disastrous red light blunders, faulty signals, power failures and staff shortages led to delays on a daily basis.

Confidential documents seen by the Standard show there were 187 hours and 35 minutes of recorded disruption on the Tube in the four weeks but the real total is thought to be much higher.

It is not known whether the figure of 182 incidents shows an increase or decrease from previous months. Included in the total are the 54 times trains passed red lights.

On one occasion at London Bridge on the Northern line during the rush hour, a train overshot the platform and the red light by two carriage lengths. This was due to a track mounted grease dispenser spurting out too much grease.

A "wrong signal" sent 100 passengers on the Jubilee line to Neasden train depot instead of Neasden station. Passengers on the Northern line at Kennington were taken off into sidings. This was because the carriages had not been inspected properly to check there was nobody still on board when the train reached the end of is journey.

There were massive delays on the Circle line last month when a train struck an object at Aldgate. LU said at the time it had hit some scaffolding left by contractors.

What actually happened was that sub-contractors had, without authority, attached a ladder to the underside of girders above the track. The driver "reported a loud bang as train left Aldgate." The result was six hours of delays.

A Victoria line train was damaged at Northumberland Park depot when it "collided with closed shutter doors of the train shed". The train was empty save for the driver, who was not hurt.

There were 20 signal failures which resulted in delays of more than 18 hours. Twelve power failures caused delays of more than 16 hours.

London Underground says "safety is paramount" and the network has a system which brakes trains automatically if a signal is passed at red. The company said record amounts of money is being invested. Some of the delays are caused by situations out of the Tube's control, such as suicides, a power failure from national grid supplies and flooding.

A London Underground spokesman said: "Safety is our top priority and London Underground has worked hard to successfully reduce signals passed at danger (SPADs) in recent years.

"Tube engineering protects against accidents which could result from a train passing a red signal. In such an instance, the automatic brake system will operate, stopping the train. SPADs as a result of driver error remain on the decrease, but cold and wet weather at this time of year causes an increase in signal malfunctions which also cause trains to stop, and these also register as a SPAD."

He added: "We have seen a number of incidents in which stations have flooded from a water mains, and we work closely with Thames Water o ensure these have as little impact as possible on passenger service. Similarly, the winter months bring some increase in station power loss when the electricity network is under great demand, and we continue to work with power providers to make sure supply to stations is given the correct priority."

Incidents that caused disruption

5 January, 3.36am: Firefighters called to Finsbury Park after a blaze started by overnight contractors.

8 January, 11.20am: District line suspended between High Street Kensington and Edgware Road because there are no staff.

19 January, 5.24am: Circle line train hits subcontractor's ladder at Aldgate.

20 January, 6.40pm: 40 passengers stuck in a lift at Queensway.

20 January, 7.22pm: 100 passengers driven into depot instead of station.

21 January, 8.37am: Passengers on the Northern line at Kennington taken into the sidings.

24 January, 7.34am: Train overshoots platforms and red light at London Bridge because of too much grease on the tracks.

25 January, 9.01am: Woman taken to hospital with exhaustion after service between Wembley Park and Aldgate is suspended because two sets of points fail.

25 January; 6.50pm: Cooker fire in mess room at Caledonian Road.