Central line commuters vented their frustration on Wednesday after the line was hit by severe delays for the third day running during rush hour.
The line was hit by severe delays because of a points failure at White City, TfL said in a message to customers.
It comes after similar delays on Monday and Tuesday, caused by a “shortage of trains”.
Minor delays were also being experienced on the Piccadilly line between Acton Town and Heathrow due to train cancellations.
One fed-up commuter said in a message to TfL: “When will there be enough trains to run the Central Line with a normal service? ‘Severe delays due to a shortage of trains’ is not acceptable every day!”
Another added: “This situation with the Central Line and the shortage of trains is just beyond a joke now!”
The delays have been raised with TfL by the leader of an east London council this week, who urged “immediate action” over the service. TfL has apologised for the delays.
“The delays and disruptions caused by the Central Line service are not only frustrating and inconvenient for our residents, but also have negative economic and environmental consequences for our borough and the wider London area,” Jas Athwal, leader of Redbridge Council, said in a letter to TfL boss, Andy Lord.
“Moreover, the reduced availability and reliability of public transport is likely to lead to increased car usage and CO2 emissions, undermining the efforts to achieve a greener and more sustainable future for London.”
Trains on the line are undergoing a £500m revamp, with all 85 of its trains due to be refurbished by 2029.
Each of the trains will undergo a comprehensive 10-week makeover that will include the long-awaited introduction of CCTV cameras and new “moquette” seating.
The Central line trains first entered service in 1992. The upgrade will extend their lives by “15 to 20 years”, according to London Underground officials.
Nick Dent, TfL’s Director of Customer Operations said: “I apologise to Central line customers for the delays they have experienced in recent weeks.
"We have experienced an abnormally high number of defective traction motors that has required us to take several trains out of service and implement an amended timetable.
"Our engineers are working extremely hard to get as many trains into service for customers as possible and in the meantime we are advising Central line customers to allow more time for their journeys."
