Being a frequent Central line user over the last few months in London has come with its challenges. Regular severe delays have hit the line since November 2023, which has largely been down to a shortage of trains.
Now, it looks like things could become worse in order to get better. To sort out some of the issues plaguing the Central line, TfL have said that the red line will run on an ’emergency timetable’which will mean around 30% fewer trains during rush hour.
As reported in the Evening Standardthis new timetable is being implemented with a view to spreading out the services as older models of the trains are repaired and upgraded. Trains are currently being taken out of service for around a week at a time due to motor failures.
Margaret Waite, head of customer operations on Central, Waterloo & City and Victoria lines, spoke on the Central line timetable in a message to staff: “Under the new timetable we will run an average of 21 trains per hour in the busiest direction in the evening peak, instead of the average of 30 trains per hour currently scheduled, which we are not currently able to deliver due to ongoing fleet issues.
“Trains will still be scheduled to run approximately every three minutes at peak times in the core section, between White City and Leytonstone.”
Some sections of the line, however, will run slightly slower than others. There will, for example, be far fewer trains running to Hainult via Newbury Parkand passengers can expect 10-minute gaps between trains here. Over the coming weeks, when speed restrictions begin being eased, this gap should reduce to around five minutes.
Trains will be fully upgraded as part of a £500m programme that refurbishes the units at a rate of five or six at a time over a period of months, which is slated to continue until 2029.
You can read more about issues the Central line has faced since November here.
