Andrew Dismore

PRESS RELEASE: IMMEDIATE: 25/8/11

Labour’s London Assembly Transport spokesperson, Val Shawcross AM, has demanded an explanation from Conservative Mayor Boris Johnson after TfL announced weekend tube closures on the Jubilee Line will continue well into the autumn.

Boris Johnson has made and broken a series of promises to end the weekend closures on the Jubilee Line, saying they would be complete by ‘spring 2011’, June 2011 and then July 2011 .

On 18th May 2011 Boris Johnson said weekend closures would end in June 2011. He said, ”I will repeat the answer if you want, which is that, yes, I can give you a date for the last weekend closure, and that is the end of June, as I understand things, there will be no more weekend closures.”

Watch Boris Johnson promise ‘there will be no more weekend closures’ here (2hrs 15mins 50 seconds): http://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/webcast_mqt_180511.asx

TfL have now revealed that Jubilee Line users will be hit with further three weekend closures affecting over a third of Jubilee Line stations on:
·        17th and 18th September
·        1st and 2nd October
·        15th and 16th October
More details on: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/livetravelnews/planned-works/calendar/default.aspx

Labour’s London Assembly Transport spokesperson, Val Shawcross AM said,

“On at least five separate occasions this year Boris Johnson has promised an end to weekend tube closures on the Jubilee Line and each time he has broken his promise.

‘Deadlines have come and gone and still Jubilee Line passengers are being inconvenienced by tube closures. It’s simply not good enough. We don’t need more promises or excuses from Boris Johnson, we need action and an end to the weekend closures on the Jubilee Line.

‘Boris Johnson is responsible for the tube. Enough is enough, it’s time for him to get a grip. His failure to end the weekend closures is causing huge disruption to millions of tube users and lost income to many small businesses.”

Andrew Dismore,Labour’s GLA candidate for Barnet and Camden added:

“ This will come as an extremely unpleasant surprise to Camden residents who use West Hampstead and Kilburn Jubilee line stations who will be unexpectedly inconvenienced due to Boris Johnson’s broken promises, yet again.

And where is GLA member Brian Coleman in all of this? For someone who always has a lot to say, he has been remarkably silent. It is time he took a proper interest in the tube. Tube travellers cannot trust anything he says- when he gets round to saying anything about the Underground”.

Ends.

Notes for editors:

1. Watch Boris Johnson promise ‘there will be no more weekend closures’ here (2hrs 15mins 50 seconds): http://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/webcast_mqt_180511.asx

2. Boris Johnson’s broken promises on the Jubilee Line:

23rd February 2011 – Boris Johnson promised the completion of the Jubilee Line upgrade and end to weekend closures, saying the upgrade: ”is now well on course for completion this spring.”
More: http://www.london.gov.uk/moderngov/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=4595&T=9

18th May 2011 – Boris Johnson said weekend closures would end in June 2011. He said, ”I will repeat the answer if you want, which is that, yes, I can give you a date for the last weekend closure, and that is the end of June, as I understand things, there will be no more weekend closures.” More: http://www.london.gov.uk/moderngov/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=4729&T=9

13 June 2011 – Boris Johnson was forced to admit he had broken his promise yet again with TfL saying, ”the Jubilee line upgrade is now on-track for completion at the end of next month.”
More: http://www.rail.co/2011/06/13/commuters-told-to-expect-teething-problems-on-jubilee-line-upgrade/

15 June 2011 – (Written answer from the Mayor) Boris Johnson, ‘It was always the case that our programme to complete the upgrade would require some weekend closures beyond Easter – the timing and extent of those closures depending upon the progress made in the period up to Easter.  I was pleased to announce – as soon as possible after Easter – the final stage of work, and the limited closures needed in June, to complete the upgrade.’
More: http://www.london.gov.uk/moderngov/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=4732&T=9

24th June 2011 – Boris Johnson, (Written answer from the Mayor) ‘There is one remaining closure to complete the Jubilee line upgrade (Saturday 25 June and Sunday 26 June). There are also six confirmed closures between now and February 2012 to carry out key enabling works for the Sub Surface upgrade and essential track replacement works. A small number of further closures for similar works may be required. None of these closures are linked to the signalling upgrade. The further six confirmed closures are on the following dates:
Sunday 03 July 2011
Saturday 23 July 2011 – Sunday 24 July 2011
Saturday 03 September 2011 – Sunday 04 September 2011
Saturday 03 December 2011 – Sunday 04 December 2011
Saturday 21 January 2012 – Sunday 22 January 2012
Saturday 11 February 2012 – Sunday 12 February 2012
All these closures will affect only the northern part of the line between West Hampstead / Willesden Green / Wembley Park and Stanmore.
More: http://www.london.gov.uk/moderngov/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=4732&T=9

3. Details of the Jubilee Line weekend closures on: 3rd and 4th September, 17th and 18th September, 1st and 2nd October and 15th and 16th October can be found here:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/livetravelnews/planned-works/calendar/default.aspx

4. A. Boris Johnson is Mayor of London and Chair of Transport for London.
More: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/boardandchiefofficers/1432.aspx

Contact

Andrew Dismore 07957 625 813
Joe Derrett – Labour Party Head of Mayoral Press
m: 07765 611 334 / d line: 020 7783 1058
e: joe_derrett@new.labour.org.uk
t: @joederrett
w: www.kenlivingstone.com

Image from labourlist.org