Network Rail promises improved service as government weighs in on London Bridge chaos
Rail group Network Rail has promised it will deploy more staff, adopt an improved timetable and give better delay warnings for passengers at London Bridge Station, as it seeks to tackle the chaos that has crippled London Bridge station.
The station, of the main rail hubs in the capital, has been affected by disruption generated by rebuilding work involving the £6.5bn Thameslink Programme, prompting rail minister Claire Perry to describe the ongoing work as "doing open heart surgery on a marathon runner".
"[But] what you have to do in that process is make sure people who are using that station every day to get to work, to get home, who want to be home to relieve the nanny or to see their kids, actually have a reliable service," the minister said.
One of the busiest stations in Britain, London Bridge came under severe criticism on 3 March, when overcrowding during rush hour was so severe that passengers had to jump over ticket barriers to try to avoid the crush.
On that day thousands of passengers were left stranded on the platforms, as Network Rail switched off the power supply to the trains for about 45 minutes to prevent further harm to a person who jumped on to the tracks near Streatham Common, which led to trains suffering severe delays and cancellations.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport union said delays and overcrowding had led to "life-threatening chaos" at the station, while Perry said that the government was considering compensation for passengers affected by the disruption.
She added that former London Underground chief operating officer Phil Hufton, now Network Rail's managing director of network operations, had been made gold commander for the station, while a new station plan had been formed to ensure improved reliability for customers.
"In the last few weeks passengers have experienced unacceptable levels of service and over-crowding at London Bridge station," said Hufton, adding that rail firms could not continue to rely on the passengers' patience.