State of the Underground report

13 SEPTEMBER 2011

This Transport Committee report takes a line-by-line look at the performance of the London Underground.

Using data not previously available, State of the Underground analyses a recent 20 per cent increase in delays on the Tube by type of delay and line affected.

Our key findings, based on this performance data are:

  • Since the upgrade programme began in 2003/04 network delays per year have reduced by 27 per cent
  • August 2010 to January 2011 saw the longest sustained period of poor performance on the Tube since upgrade work began
  • The main reason for delays on the four worst performing lines - the Jubilee, Victoria, District and Metropolitan - was equipment failure.
  • Industrial action accounted for nearly half of the increase in lost passenger hours between 2009/10 and 2010/11
  • In the last eight years passenger journeys increased by 17 per cent whilst service levels rose by just two per cent.

See the responses and performance information we have received from Transport for London following the publication of State of the Underground at the bottom of this page.  Also see more of our work on the upgrade of the London Underground.

Watch a short video about the report's main findings:

Key recommendations:

The report calls on the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL) to set out how they will address this recent unacceptable level of performance. It also recommends a review of industrial relations following a series of disruptive strikes over the last year.

The Committee has set a target that for 2011/12 every London Underground line should at least match its best performance from the last eight years.  The report is accompanied by summaries of individual Tube line performance from 2003/4 to 2010/11. Passengers can see how their line has been performing and compare it to the performance of the rest of the network.

AttachmentSize
State of the Underground report Sept 2011.pdf369.28 KB
State of the Underground report Sept 2011.rtf542.25 KB
State of the Underground technical annex.pdf99.94 KB
State of the Underground technical annex.rtf209.9 KB
Individual line performance.pdf118.95 KB
Individual line performance.rtf302.59 KB
Written submissions received.pdf3.32 MB
Letter to Deputy Mayor for Transport June 2011 .pdf38.28 KB
Letter from Deputy Mayor for Transport Sept 2011.pdf32.43 KB
TfL Tube performance letter received 18 Nov 2011.pdf779.83 KB
TfL Tube performance-report-period-6-received 18 Nov 2011.pdf2.6 MB
Mayor's response re IIPAG annual report 21 Nov 2011.pdf56.16 KB
TfL cover letter received 9 December 2011.pdf137.27 KB
TfL response - Appendix D.pdf898.84 KB
TfL response to the state of the Underground report.pdf2.84 MB