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Annie Mole's, daily web log (blog) & “guide” to the London Underground
If you like this you'll LURVE One Stop Short of Barking, the fun and informative book about travelling on the London Underground.
Here's a quick summary of the main points, my post from October when the fare changes were announced goes into more detail.
Tube, DLR & Overground
* The Zone 1 pay as you go fare rises by 10p to £1.90
* The refundable deposit on a new Oyster card increases from £3 to £5.
* A Visitor Oyster card will cost £3.
* Oyster pay as you go fares travelling into Zone 1 in the evening rush hour are reduced to the off-peak rate
Travelcards
* Anytime zones 1-3, 1-5 and 2-6 Day Travelcards and the Off-Peak zones 2-6 Travelcards are being withdrawn.
Buses and Trams
* A single cash fare rises from £2 to £2.20
* Oyster pay as you go fares will increase by 10p to £1.30
Maximum fare for not touching in/out
If you don't touch in and out on the Tube, London Overground, DLR & National Rail, you may be charged a maximum Oyster fare of up to £7.40.
Pay as you go Auto Top Up
Oyster pay as you go Auto Top-up minimum balance increases to £8.00
The pub doesn't seem to have an active website, so if you fancy going, best contact them to find out what time it starts. Alternatively lurk around Maida Vale Tube station and follow all the knights, barons, bishops, angels, and people with beehives or dressed as cans of lager.
If you've already got plans for New Year's Eve, Bringstuff will be holding their second London Underground Fancy Dress party on 5th February 2011 - details here!
According to the guys at HeyUGuys, who found this, "there is somewhere called Liverpool Street inside The Grid!". They also "plan to print off and use for my regular trips to London from this day forth! Who’s with me?!!"
Iamclu has also Tronified the new London bus which looks pretty awesome too.
Linked to glowing Tube map and following on from yesterday's Tinsel Tube map, Chris Constantine remembered that he'd created a card a few years ago called Tube Fairies with fairy lights forming the Tube map.
He said "I lived in North Woolwich at the time, thus the plug socket!".
London Underground are seeking an injunction against what they believe to be a "completely unnecessary" strike. In 1996 drivers union ASLEF signed an agreement that it would consider Boxing Day a normal working day in return for longer holidays and higher pay.
However, the union has said increased Tube services on bank holidays meant drivers now have to work more Bank holidays than when the agreement was originally signed. ASLEF are due to stage a 24-hour walkout on 26th December 2010 and are claiming triple pay and a day off in lieu for working on Boxing Day.
A TfL spokesman said: "The union has ripped up a long-standing agreement on pay and working hours that gave LU employees increased pay and 6.8 weeks' holiday, in return for working some public holidays. We have tried to resolve this through negotiation, but our offer to reduce the number of drivers rostered to work on Boxing day was flatly rejected.
"This left us no option but to seek a legal solution."
An ASLEF spokesman said: "We are disappointed that, instead of trying to resolve the dispute, LU is taking the legal route.
"But nowadays it seems par for the course to go to the courts rather than sit round the table."
In the meantime Howard Collins Chief Operating Officer at London Underground has written to ASLEF members urging them not to strike. He said "ASLEF clearly did not want to make any concession on its triple pay claim and it did not seriously consider our proposal to amend our service plans.
"The increase in service we plan for this year's Boxing Day is in direct response to the doubling of demand for service that we have seen in recent years. Furthermore, if we were still running the levels of train service we were running 15 years ago we would not have created additional jobs for train operators. The more service we run, and the more customers we serve, the better - not just for our customers but for our employees.
In addition, rumours about Christmas Day working are simply wrong - there is no plan to do this, and if - in the future - any such long-term proposals did emerge, they would be a matter for discussion with trades unions representatives well ahead of any changes.
Please consider whether going on strike will achieve anything, other than loss of pay and damage to our commitment to this city. The proper route to a resolution of this issue is through discussions within our established framework - not through the threat of strike action."
Whether there's time for the last minute legal challenge to stop the strike obviously remains to be seen. London Underground last went to court in June to try to stop an RMT walkout. However the High Court ruled that the strike could take place.
This e-card was a lovely idea and surprisingly I've never seen a tinsel version of the map before. It certainly reminds me of Max's excellent Curvy Tube Map.
For all those looking for Christmas opening and closing times for the Tube, pop along to their site where there's a pdf and don't forget, the Boxing Day Tube strike by ASLEF, which is likely to cause "significant disruption" on most London Underground lines from 00:01 to 23:59 on Sunday 26 December 2010.
Adam Bienkov aka Torytroll said "Now I know sponsorship is hard to find, but should the Mayor really be encouraging London's most desperate and needy to get themselves into even more debt over the Christmas period?"
Jeanette Arnold, Deputy Chair of the London Assembly said "People in desperate need subsidising free New Year's travel in London - not surprised Mayor's office is staying quiet. It's a total disgrace." Green Party Assembly Member Jenny Jones said "The Mayor of London must understand promoting 2689% borrowing is stupid and dangerous."
Stella Creasy, Labour MP for Walthamstow has written an open letter to Boris Johnson asking him to change his mind over the deal. She said: "I've tabled legislation to try to deal with the worst excesses of these companies and protect the poorest consumers in the capital but Wonga have written to me opposing these proposals. ... MPs of all parties agree with me that something should be done to tackle these problems and are supporting these proposals."
Mayorwatch asked the Mayor's Office to comment, his request was passed onto to TfL who made the following statement "Transport for London (TfL) each year seeks support for the provision of free travel on New Year’s Eve between 11.45pm and 4:30am.
Wonga.com is making a contribution in support of free travel for this New Year’s Eve, and is licensed by the Office of Fair Trading and regulated by the Consumer Credit Act 1974."
I wonder how many New Year's revellers are going to care or even notice who's getting them home for free? Is it right for MPs to take the moral high ground on this? Or does it bother people that loan sharks (or their online equivalents) are potentially being seen as benevolent over the festive season? How many people would rather pay for travel that night than have it partially sponsored by Wonga?
Perhaps this time next year, free New Year's Eve travel will be sponsored by one of the many "cash 4 gold" companies! Would that be worse?
TfL's "cold weather plans" have been put in place to deal with the snow and ice. TfL say: "Stocks of specialist de-icing fluids have been topped up and, if required, arrangements are in place for trains to run overnight across the various networks.
Additional engineering staff will also be on standby to respond swiftly to any incidents that occur during the cold weather."
As usual, check their website to see what's happening on your lines. There's more snow forecast over the next couple of days, so keep safe on the pavements and roads - it's slippy out there!
Here's the lyrics in case you couldn't make them out from the video above.
On the 12th day of Christmas Southeastern said to me,
12 hundred stranded
11 porky pies
10 trains are cancelled
9 power failures
8 dodgy heaters
7 flakes are falling
6 dirty toilets
5 broken trains
4 missing drivers
3 signal failures
2 points are stuck
And there's no trains the rest of the week.
A Southeastern spokesman said: "We always welcome all feedback from passengers, in whatever format it may come in."
Hat tip to @BCCletts for letting me know about this.
Hendy struck me as a person who was extremely keen to get on with the upgrades needed & speed them up. He's well aware of the perception of bad communication of improvements and the seemingly endless engineering work. He's clearly not a fan of those posters which show cartoons of men carrying out work on the London Underground.
In the future we'll see less of these and actual photos of broken rails, points, signalling and the like, in an attempt to show us what work is physically being done & how long it takes. We got the impression there will be fewer block closures on the Tube than TfL's new strategy just announced (first of which District & Circle Lines between High Street Ken & Edgware Road). Mainly because there's actually few parts of the Tube which you can close down for weeks at a time without causing complete chaos and offering reasonable travel alternatives.
Hendy's obviously a mine of transport information having worked for London Transport since 1975. I must admit my brain partially switches off when people talk about buses, but Hendy's attention to the new buses went right down to making sure it was easy to clean sick (& other nasty stuff) off them! Probably something a lot of Transport commissioners wouldn't talk about.
We also learnt that before stations on the former North London Link were closed overnight, a whole colony of down and outs lived at Kensal Rise station.
Even though it's December, inevitably you can't talk about the Tube without talking about air conditioning. Ian asked how much of the plans to cool the London Underground were at risk with the funding cuts. Hendy wasn't sure, but said the challenge was more about trying to create a system that generated less heat in the first place. That was easier than getting warm air out. So the plans are for lighter trains like the new ones on the Victoria Line.
With Tube passengers numbers at a record high of four million journeys a day, I asked Hendy if he had a magic wand, what could he do about capacity and how he could make our Tube journeys more comfortable & pleasant.
He said "Firstly I would wish that Trade Unions would recognise they shouldn't continually threaten to go on strike". Hendy said that union leaders seem to think that as the Tube is publicly owned, that money will come from somewhere and demands will be caved into. "Don't get me wrong, the vast majority of staff are fantastic," he added, but he obviously felt that the bargaining tactics used by unions were influenced by the thought of a bottomless public vat of money.
"Secondly, work on improving the system has to be done and it has to be done now. There's no easy solution to increasing capacity. Sadly there isn't a magic wand. But we need to explain properly what work needs to be done.
"I think we're on our way to a pretty customer-friendly system. On most stations hopefully you'll notice that staff normally make eye contact with you. This didn't happen 10 years ago. I'm convinced we need visible people on and around the system, being seen and being helpful. Being stuck behind a screen doesn't do this. (Another clue- as if more were needed - as to what he thinks of the unions' dispute over ticket office closures)
"Finally I'd wish that no new governing methods like PPP were invented. Hire the right management teams and leave them alone to do the work. We don't need arbiters and regulators as this slows things down. We just need people who know what they're doing."
I'd like to thank Peter Hendy for spending time with us and we hope to be able to chat to him again next year. Look out for IanVisits and LondonReconnections posts as they're sure to cover more of our conversation including Hendy's thoughts on mobile phone coverage on the Tube, how TfL works with National Rail in London and what he thinks about Boris Bikes.
Margaret Gardner, Director of Practical Action, the organisation who put the map together, said: "If no action is taken against the temperature and sea levels rise as predicted, large areas of London could be underwater by the end of the century – a frightening thought. Not great news for our children or grandchildren.
"In London we have an insurance industry and the necessary capital to do something about increased flooding risk. We can build barriers and do whatever is necessary. But in Dhaka and other cities in the developing world, there isn’t the spare cash to just invest in infrastructure to help people to adapt to climate change. So the answer has to be to avoid climate change in the first place."
Certainly brings home the ominous lines from The Clash who sang: "Cause London is drowning and I live by the river".
For more information and to sign up to Practical Action’s climate change campaign ‘Face Up to 4C’ please visit www.practicalaction.org/face-up.
Terry Wilkinson, the EC member for District 8 from the union said: "It used to be almost guaranteed that if you worked one bank holiday, you would not work the next. But the increase in service levels (and that Boxing Day is a Sunday this year) has meant this is now no longer possible."
The union is claiming triple pay and a day off in lieu for its members for working on December 26, saying LU is refusing to offer any extra pay.
ASLEF general secretary Keith Norman said: "It is painfully obvious to any reasonable person that Boxing Day is not an ordinary working day and therefore it is no surprise that Aslef members have reacted in the way they have."
The vote was 1,025 for strike action, with 127 against, a 9-1 majority in favour of taking action on Boxing Day.
As yet there's nothing on ASLEF's site to confirm when the strike action will actually take place and no statement from London Underground on the impact this will have on the Tube service.
Update from ASLEF's site: ASLEF members employed by London Underground Ltd will be withdrawing their labour for all turns commencing between 00:01 and 23:59 on Sunday 26 December 2010.
‘I am prepared to discuss this with the company but if they want a meeting they are going to have to have something to put on the table,’ says Keith Norman.
Update from London - 16th December - a statement was issued on their site "We have a long-standing agreement which all of trade unions are signed up to and which we have published today, which covers staff working arrangements on bank holidays, and Boxing Day is included in that agreement. To tear that agreement up and seek to disrupt the festive period for Londoners in this way is just cynical.
"We have made every effort to resolve this issue with the Aslef leadership, which has refused to attend talks at ACAS to discuss its claim for triple time and a day in lieu for its members."
Update - 22nd December 2010 - TfL emailed Oyster card holders with the following today:
Note "there is likely to be significant disruption to Tube services throughout Boxing Day".
Samuel Powell spotted this neatly penned notice at Kentish Town London Underground station this morning.
Wonder if it was using the Rexley-Ruff rules to get there?
Update - Here's what happened to the dog. He was found by Rosy who said in the comments "My boyfriend and I were in fact holding the dog! We ended up taking him to work with us as Mornington Crescent station would have had to close its doors if it took on the responsibility of looking after a dog for a couple of hours due to staff shortages. We named the dog Frank, fed him sausages and gave him lots of attention! He was reunited with his rightful owner a few hours later. Frank had an eventful morning and everyone misses him at the office!"
A similar low ballot turnout occurred over the dismissal of a Bakerloo Line driver. Just 42 people voted for strike action out of a total of 119 balloted - that's a third of the total members.
Howard Collins, LU's chief operating officer, said: 'The RMT leadership has utterly failed in its attempt to gain support from staff on the Northern line for a driver being dealt with over allegations of totally unacceptable and abusive behaviour towards colleagues.
"It is also utterly outrageous for the RMT to threaten strike action in support of someone dismissed for a serious breach of safety rules on the Bakerloo line.
'The facts speak for themselves. Yet again, the RMT leadership shows utter contempt for Londoners and the integrity of their own strike ballot process.
'They should end these pointless strike threats and get on with working with us to deliver an upgraded Tube system for London.'
Bakerloo Line London Underground tube drivers based at Elephant & Castle and Queens Park, have also been asked by the union to stop working at the same time.
Bob Crow makes no mention of the low turnout and the low numbers of people voting for strike action and says "Instead of harassing our members and activists on trumped up charges the London Underground management should be directing their energies into reaching a settlement to the on-going disputes over tube safety and safe staffing levels."
Instead of striking when the majority of people who voted clearly didn't want to strike, I'd suggest the RMT leaders should be directing their energies into proving exactly what safety issues are at stake in the wider Tube strikes.
On a practical level, I'd imagine these calls to "down tools" will have little impact on the Northern & Bakerloo Lines. London Underground (& I'm guessing all the people who didn't vote to strike) fully intends to run services on these and all other lines. But check the Tube's website before you leave for the latest information.
Update 17th December 2010 - According to Harrow Observer Bakerloo line services will be suspended between Harrow and Wealdstone and Queens Park stations on 18th December due to the above action.
Members of the RMT union will walk out at 9pm 17th December for 24 hours and while tonight London Underground (LU) said the service will be 'largely unaffected', tomorrow only a partial service will be in operation south from Queens Park south to Elephant and Castle.
"Space to sit down, spotless carriages and air conditioning. We could definitely get used to this. Delhi Metro is not all like this of course; being female we’re privileged to get a space in the quieter ladies carriage…but it’s not far off. Like any Tube train at rush hour, things can get pretty packed in the general cars, but with sleek and shiny new trains and regular service you can see why Delhi Metro has become a popular way for Delhiites to traverse their city.
Delhi Metro is one of the world’s newest underground systems and is expanding rapidly. Run by the private company Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, it has the ambitious goal of building a Metro station within 500 metres of every home by 2021. The Metro received a real boost by the Commonwealth Games, which saw more people using it through giving travel tickets away with admission to the Games, and just this month ridership crossed the 1.6 million mark. It's soon to open high-speed airport connection which will no doubt add to its appeal, providing a fast and efficient way to enter the city.
As London Transport Museum’s Community Curators we’ve been busy exploring how New Delhi’s new Metro network is affecting people’s journeys, experiences and understandings of this bustling and ever-changing city. The project was funded by a British Council Connections through Culture programme and London Museums Hub 2012 Cultural Olympiad project, Stories of the World: London (SOTW) a major focus of which is engaging with young people.
With congestion choking the roads and causing heavy pollution, the Metro is a boon to the people of Delhi, who are really starting to embrace this new mode of transport. Craving not only the increased comfort and speed, the key to its success is its reliability. Interviews with commuters exploring the impact on the city highlighted that knowing you will reach your destination in 40 minutes as opposed to relying on traffic conditions on the roads is a huge advantage to passengers.
Delhiites are rightly very proud of their new transport system. The Metro’s ‘Delhi Metro Citizens Forum’, a 500 strong group of volunteers trained to guide and assist passengers in travel ettiquette, are proof of the public’s dedication to the system.
Linking up with Delhi Metro during our recent trip to Delhi we were fortunate to join some of the forum members out and about on the network as they went about their day, ensuring people gave up their seats for the elderly and helping people use the map to navigate.
Across the world people use diverse means to travel throughout their cities, however a common thread of all major cities is the influence of public transport on a city’s growth, in both a physical and a social sense. London Underground is the world’s oldest underground system, nearing 150 years old – now a London icon, it has played a major role in shaping the Capital’s identity. The project undertaken in New Delhi provided a fascinating insight into how one of the world’s newest rail networks is impacting on the city. London Transport Museum looks forward to strengthening the partnerships that were created during the project and will continue to keep watch on how New Delhi develops in response to its new transport links.
Thanks to Jane & Michelle for a great post and you can see more pictures from their visit here.
The designers describe the app: "Have fun riding the subway while finding and checking off all of the characters that subway commuters know and love. When you get five in a row, BINGO!
Created by New Yorkers, this game features beautiful artwork and an insider's attention to detail. Subway BINGO is a totally fun way to pass the time on the train or subway platform....Dozens and dozens of real-life characters, moving subway doors, and more!
It would need to be Tubecized / anglicized to cover London but I reckon it would be popular.
In fact it reminded me of the spoof video of teenagers playing "Tube Poker" - supposedly "an illegal gambling craze played on the London Underground".
TfL commissioner Peter Hendy wanted to follow the Hong Kong example of selling limited edition cards, some of which are apparently worth a fortune. He said "We will do one for the royal wedding and it will be extremely tasteful. It will be the first-ever one we have put on general release."
The card doesn't come with any royal privileges and acts like a normal Oyster. But it may come with a specially embossed card-holder. Mike Brown, London Underground's MD helpfully said: “You can use it forever, you can use it for a day, or you can never use it at all.”
Kulveer Ranger, the Mayor’s transport adviser, added "It’s early days but it's an exciting opportunity. We want to help celebrate the fantastic occasion that will be the royal wedding. It's a good way to bring a level of excitement and ingenuity to something we rely on every day."
Can't you feel the excitement of swiping Kate and Prince William on your daily commute? I can hardly wait!
Update - Jon Justice has sent in a mock up for the card that could be more interesting!
Here's one of the few District Line trains that were running between Richmond & Turnham Green this morning. Seriously, I suppose things could have been worse, at least the London Underground was running - unlike Southeastern trains.
Also looks like fewer people were risking coming in on Boris Bikes as the docks around the corner from my work were much fuller than normal.
"The magic, mystery & sometimes maddening shortcomings of London's Tube are documented with love,
enthusiasm & sometimes despair by its unofficial social historian." The Guardian
"On some mornings it can feel like the only reason to be grateful that the Tube exists" Time Out
"a big hit on the Web...one of London's obsessives" Metro
"an irreverent and informative must-read for everybody, not just subterranean commuters" The Times
