Why time stands still when you're waiting for Tube

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Why does the train always seem to take far longer to arrive than the platform indicator has promised?

Now London Underground bosses have come up with the official reason for the difference between "real time" and "Tube time".

They base the time, in minutes, on how far the train is from the station. This calculation does not take into account whether the train is stationary or has come to an unscheduled stop.

The screen will not update to take into account the delays, even though "real time" is passing all the while.

This explanation was revealed in a Tube document seen by the Standard today which says: "The indicator takes the time based on where the train is. If it is at a platform four minutes away it will say four minutes.

"If for any reason the train stands still, the indicator will continue to say four minutes whilst time passes."

A Tube source said: "It is annoying if you have been waiting five minutes or more and the indicator keeps saying the next train is in three minutes."

Another frequently asked question is: "Why do I always have to wait ages for a Circle line train?"

A spokesman explained: "These trains are only scheduled to run every eight and a half minutes because they share tracks with other lines, such as the District and Hammersmith & City.

"If a delay happens on any of these lines, the gap can get considerably longer between trains."

He added: "When there is a long gap, passengers may be better off taking another train and changing."

Meanwhile, latest figures show Tube performance is slightly worse now than a year ago - despite billions of pounds spent improving the system.

There are currently 96.5 per cent of trains in operation - compared with 97.4 per cent this time last year. Passenger watchdog London TravelWatch today published a manifesto for improving travel around London. A copy is being sent to Ken Livingstone and the other Mayoral candidates.