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We're doing the best we can, says transport chief
Dick Murray, Transport Editor3 Feb 2009
- Transport round-up: How London has coped
- Many a slip as walkers tackle the ungritted pavements
- Christian Wolmar: This transport collapse is inexcusable
- London's streets empty as snow shuts theatres and bars
- Hotels profit from stranded commuters
- Gallery: The big freeze causes misery in London
- Gallery: London's winter wonderland
- Poll: Should transport chiefs have done better?
LONDON'S transport chief apologised today for the disruption to services in the wake of the snow, but said: "We are doing the best we can."
Transport commissioner Peter Hendy said Tube and bus workers were doing everything possible to get the network running.
He also said the network ran "reasonably well" yesterday, despite many lines being closed or suspended.
But as commuters travelled into work again today, they suffered a further round of delays and frustration.
Pictures: The big freeze continues to cause misery in London
Pictures: snow covers London
Workers stayed away in their tens of thousands after being urged not to travel unless it was necessary.
Up to one in three was estimated to have taken the day off.
Tube services and rail operators said there was no immediate end in sight to the disruption, with more travel difficulties predicted tomorrow morning.
Earlier this morning Mr Hendy voiced his hopes for a return to normality. "It should be a normal day today," the commissioner told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"Obviously I apologise to people who had a very difficult day yesterday. We were doing the best we can, we have done the best we can overnight."
Mr Hendy rejected suggestions that London's transport authorities had not done enough to ensure people could travel around the capital.
However, there was widespread anger at the complete suspension, until early yesterday evening, of the bus service. This had been on safety grounds - something that had not happened even during the Blitz.
Mr Hendy responded: "The Blitz didn't cover every road in London, every suburban street in London."
Local roads were still not clear in parts of the city today as questions were raised over the response of some councils. London Assembly members are demanding an inquiry into how ready the city had been.
"It was the worst snowfall for two decades," he said.
"The local authorities deployed everything they had on Sunday night and Monday morning, but it just wasn't enough for the circumstances.
"The London boroughs were gritting from Sunday morning at 11 o'clock. We have helped them to distribute supplies of grit so, as far as I know, nobody ran out. It is just that the circumstances of Sunday evening and Monday morning were quite exceptional."
Running buses on London's roads yesterday morning would have created a "significant danger" of them sliding into kerbs, he said. Rescue teams were out overnight on Sunday retrieving 20 to 30 buses which had slid off the road. Buses were almost entirely back to normal today, with just a handful of services suspended. But commuters offered a cool reaction to Mr Hendy.
Ashley Morris, a 28-year-old administration manager from Redhill, said: "My journey was a disaster today, it took two-and-a-quarter hours when normally it takes 40 minutes. I disagree with what Peter Hendy said. The Tube doesn't seem to be running well at all."
Juelma Nunes, an 18-year-old student, said: "It took me more than an hour to travel from Barking in Essex to Victoria.
"My Tube kept stopping for five minutes each time then it would go again then it would stop.
"I took the District line and it really wasn't great. It might be better than yesterday but it was still really slow. I don't understand how people can say it is back to normal."
Andrew Carter, 26, from Dartford, said: "It took me nearly three hours to travel to Victoria today when usually it takes an hour-and-a-half.
"I was left sitting on a Tube for 40 minutes and I'm really late."
Two of the biggest rail commuter operators - Southeastern and South West Trains - reported trains busy during the lengthened morning peak, but nowhere near as crowded as usual.
A Southeastern spokeswoman said: "We are running a reduced service today."
The congestion charge was back in force today after Mayor Boris Johnson lifted the fee yesterday to encourage those who could get into London by car to drive.
Experts at absence management company Firstcare said London's dependence on public transport meant the proportion of people not making it into work was the highest in the country.
Helplines for useful information
AA Roadwatch, for traffic and weather: 09003 401 100 or 401 100 from mobiles
Highways Agency, for real-time traffic information: 08700 660 115
NHS Direct, for health advice: 0845 4647
Transport for London: 0207 222 1234
London Assembly, public liaison unit:
020 7983 4100
National Rail: 08457 48 49 50
Airports: www.gatwickairport.com
www.heathrowairport.com
www.stanstedairport.com
www.londoncityairport.com
www.london-luton.co.uk
