Central line commuters vented their anger on Tuesday morning as a shortage of trains has crippled the service yet again.
Passengers complained of 17-minute waits for trains as the issue created severe delays on sections of the line.
The latest rush-hour misery comes after Central line commuters faced a week of delays on the service.
Services were delayed between North Acton and Ealing Broadway, as well as West Ruislip on Tuesday.
There were further delays between Leytonstone and Epping, and Woodford via Hainault due to a shortage of trains.
There was also no service on the London Overground between Willesden Junction and Shepherd's Bush due to an operational incident on Tuesday morning.There was also minor delays on the Metropolitan line between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Moor Park due to a points failure.Travellers on the Piccadilly line also faced minor delays between Acton Town and Heathrow Airport, as well as to Uxbridge, due to train cancellations.
One commuter complained to Transport for London (TfL) about “another no show” on the Central line.
They asked TfL on social media: “When is this loop service going to be sorted on the Central line.
“Another no show. Some of us have jobs where we have to be on time.
“As it is I give 30 mins extra time for a supposedly 40 min journey. Not acceptable. Who do I complain to. Who’s in charge?”
@TfL when is this loop service going to sorted on the central line. Another no show . Some of us have jobs where we have to be on time. As it is I give 30 mins extra time for a supposedly 40 min journey. Not acceptable. Who do I complain to. Who’s in charge?
— RVIV (@RajivVivekanan1) January 23, 2024
Another passenger added: “17 min wait for a Central line train at Hainault this morning.... sort it out! Maybe leave some trains running and not "refurbish" all of them at once.”
A third added: “TfL becoming ridiculous! Every 15 mins now for Central line?”
The delays were raised with TfL by the leader of an east London council last week, who urged “immediate action” over the service. TfL previously 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 previously 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."
