Tonight:
9°c
Don't let travel network go to sleep over the holiday
Mark Blunden23.12.08
Transport bosses came under fire today for letting London's network "go to sleep" over Christmas as closures threaten to severely disrupt travel.
Campaigners want more done to keep the capital moving between Christmas and New Year, when large parts of the Tube and rail networks close completely, and some commuter lines remain out of action for up to 11 days.
There will be no Tubes, trains or buses on Christmas Day, with a much-reduced service returning on Boxing Day.
The Metropolitan and Jubilee line will be shut down on 26 December, with station closures on six other lines - including Northern, Central and Hammersmith & City.
A Saturday service will run on the Underground until New Year's Eve, when there is free travel throughout the night, although 15 stations will be closed or have limited opening.
Labour MP John Grogan, a leading transport campaigner, said: "Most of Europe's capital cities have some sort of transport on Christmas Day. We've got all the shops open and major events on Boxing Day so it really is odd that transport is so reduced. It's a long time for London to go to sleep."
Caroline Pidgeon, the Lib-Dem London Assembly transport spokeswoman, said: "TfL and the Mayor need to work together to ensure that our transport doesn't come to a halt. It's difficult because work needs to be done on the Tube and rail network but we need more help for businesses and shoppers in London."
Jo deBank, spokeswoman for London TravelWatch, said: "It's a lack of being joined up between the rail companies running our overland services. We're concerned passengers, especially those who aren't regular commuters, will be confused because so many lines are disrupted"
There are concerns that people living outside London will not be able to get to the sales, football matches or to see loved ones when key links are shut down. TfL and rail operators say the closures are critical to ensure "essential" maintenance is completed for the New Year.
Retailers are worried a lack a Tube service on Boxing Day will hurt the West End's already struggling shops.
Jace Tyrrell, of the New West End Company, said: "It's disappointing and there must be a better way to achieve a fully functioning transport system on Boxing Day."
But a Tfl spokeswoman said: "Maintenance work will be carried out on Christmas Day, which provides an invaluable opportunity to carry out tests of signalling and rolling stock on the one day of the year passenger services do not operate.
"TfL receives very few public requests to operate any public transport services on Christmas Day. London Underground runs services from 5am to 1am 364 days of the year and London Buses run services 24 hours a day, 364 days of the year.
"London Underground stopped running services on Christmas Day in the mid-Seventies due to minimal demand and high costs for running services.
"The Tube and London Buses join other transport networks and businesses around the country that do not operate on Christmas Day."
Reader views (9)
Travelling from Manchester to London yesterday took almost SIX hours, left Manchester at 14:15 had to go via Birmingham International then on the Chiltern Line to London arriving a couple of minutes before 8.00pm.
It would have been half the price and quicker by coach ! When I booked they told me they were running direct trains form Stafford and the journey would take 2 1/2 hours. Guess those plans changed!
Virgin Trains should fight Network Rail on behalf do their customers, if they need "one more weekend" to perform upgrades then close it the week after Christmas when perhaps a fifth of the amount of people are trying to travel.
- Lee Wilson, London
A fun time was had by all coming into Clapham Junction this morning, platforms 5 and 6 are shut (and all trains replaced by coaches) and all trains coming in via Balham are routed onto 1 set of tracks.
- Bob, Cheam
I have been a train driver for 36 years and have driven trains many times on a new years day, hardly anyone travels until late afternoon. Most of the day were carrying fresh air around the country. Do people really want the railway to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds to run empty trains around the country on Xmas/Boxing day? I believe that the New Years Day service should not start until 14.00. Another point to bear in mind is that Network Rail use the shutdown to complete a large number of engineering projects without impacting on travelers.
- Mike, Crewe
Even in little old adelaide-capital of south australia population 1 million we run our buses trams and trains to a normal sunday timetable-the same applies on boxing day on friday.Normal weekdayservices operate next week(mon-tue-wed).
London is way behind!
- Bruce, adelaide south australia
Isabel (and others),
It is the line between Clapham Junction and Barnes station that is closed between Christmas and New Year. Worth checking the South West Trains website for more details.
- Nick, Richmond
I wouldn't expect anyone to work on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. Enjoy the rest transport workers - you deserve it as much as the rest of us.
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke
sorry Dhanraj - do you not celebrate xmas or is this not part of your religion - lets keep a sense of propostion in all this because quite a big part of this country do still celebrate xmas.
- Stuart, london
The country should not be coming to a standstill just because of Christmas and New Year. Lets keep a sense of proportion in all this.
- Dhanraj, Basildon Essex
Apparently Clapham Junction is closed between Christmas and New Year- anyone else heard that too? It's simple, we shall drive instead. The cost of petrol + parking in central London is still cheaper than taking the train.
- Isabel, woking
