TfL: How a tube station upgrade is being held up by a sink for a month

Last week, we held a site meeting with Transport for London to discuss the continuing delays to Maida Vale tube. Although TfL have latterly started to provide us with information on the progress of the upgrade, we were still very concerned whether the mooted 1st July deadline would be met or, as in the case of the 'deadlines' before, simply brushed aside with a few platitudes mouthed afterwards.

Before the meeting, we had also secured agreement from TfL that we could bring along representatives of the local business comunity to raise their own concerns. We were very glad that Mr. Patel from the chemists opposite and Mr. Palmer from Ashley Milton Estate Agents next door were able to attend to represent Elgin Parade traders.

To say the meeting was unsatisfactory was an understatement. Although we could see that the people sent by TfL were trying their best, the whole project appears to have been a complete screw-up. And some of the excuses used - even nearly a year after the upgrade should have been completed - were borderline insulting to local residents and businesses.

During the course of the meeting TfL conceded:

• that the completion of the tube would be held up for a month whilst waiting for the delivery of a sink
• that Metronet was actually only completing around 2 hours work a night on the tube - because of the stupidity of the contract terms imposed by Gordon Brown when the PPP was set up
• that the possibility that work might be speeded up (or that work to non-customer facing parts of the tube might be done during the day) seemed to be a wholly alien concept

When we probed further we also worked out that the timelines for a 1st July completion looked decidedly shaky. It was at this point that the representatives from Metronet disappeared and were later found having a quiet coffee up the road.

Needless to say, TfL representatives were set straight - in no uncertain terms - as to how unacceptable the current situation was. As local Councillors, we absolutely despair at the mess which has affected Maida Vale residents and busineses over the last couple of years - and the only saving grace is that the works will be finished soon. To extend works by a month because of a sink is just incredible. Thankfully, with the change in Mayor and the ending of the Metronet contract, other communities might not have to put up with the madness that Maida Vale has endured.

Lee and Jan