London Underground/The Tube

For those who read the blog the other day, you will know that I missed out on the Chinese New Year in London due to 3 lines having engineering works all at the same time, and because of this it would have meant a 2 hour journey each way, which of course is totally unacceptable, when it usually takes 30 minutes, so you can imagine my frustration and anger. Well in the spirit that you might have seen on this blog already, I actually decided to complain, and I got a response. I have posted their response to my letter and my original email to them as well, so you can see just how dismissive they are and what as someone told me is a toilet grade response

This is what I wrote to them.


Hi there,

I am disgusted with the tube service for this coming weekend, I live in Harrow, and I wanted to go and see the Chinese New Year in Trafalgar Square, and all the events with it. Lo and behold on the Sunday, there is no decent and basically feasible way for me to get into London. There are engineering works on the Met line, yet again, and because they are coinciding with engineering works on the Chiltern line, I can't use that line to get into town. I can't even go from the Harrow and Wealdstone station, because of engineering works. I have to say who ever organised this, can't organise a piss up in a brewery, this is pathetic, seriously pathetic. I know the work has to be done, fine, but make it possible that those who want to get up town can, feasibly do so. Your own website says that it will make sure that tube runs for major events, I would have thought the Chinese New Year was a major event. Plus these works have been going on for a very long time, too long. Surely it would be possible to make it so that they were non-stop in shifts throughout the whole weekend. It is disgusting that those who aren't living centrally in London are penalised, and given that I am disabled too, this is a real slap in the face, for access to those who want it. I really really hope I receive a reply, though I very much doubt it, given you haven't been bothered in the past to reply to someone who actually voted for you.

Kind Regards

This is the wonderful response I got from them, see if you can actually find a real understanding in their to what I wrote, and if you can a heartfelt apology, if so, please point it out, I would love to know which bit I missed.

Dear Mr.XXXXX
Thank you for your email, addressed to the Mayor. Your correspondence has been logged at the Mayor's Office and passed onto me at Customer Services to respond to.
I am sorry to learn that you experienced difficulties getting into London last weekend. We have planned engineering work ongoing, on various, lines for the next few years, which is due to the amount of necessary repairs and replacement to track, signals and upgrade of stations and platforms. It was a choice between closing the line, or section of, for a number of weeks continuously whilst the work is carried out, or to use off-peak periods where the least disruption is caused. Public preference led to the latter action being taken. Planning of the work is done many months in advance, sometimes up to a year, and whilst careful consideration is taken to avoid major events, this is not always possible. When there is planned engineering work we always provide Rail replacement Bus services so customers are not stranded. We also make agreements with other transportation modes to accept tickets on their services, which is usually very useful for those who can use Chiltern Line Rail service. It was very unfortunate that last weekend they were also doing planned engineering work too. Once again I am sorry for any inconvenience you experienced, and assure you that we always try to minimise disruption as much as possible. I hope this clarifies the situation. Please contact me again if you need any help in the future.

Yours sincerely

Customer Service Advisor
Customer Service Centre
London Underground Limited

So you can see there really wasn't an understanding of the situation at all, 2 hours instead of 30 minutes, replacement bus service, which didn't go all the way, which doesn't make sense at all, and for those who live where I do, know the Chiltern line has been doing engineering works on Sunday for quite some time, so evidently those who travel, know more than those in the glass house at London Underground Limited.

I do wonder if I should even respond to this, and point out the holes in their response, mmm. I wonder if it would do any good at all. So here it is in all its glory, our wonderful public service, paying lip service to someone with a valid compliant, ho hum, what happened to days when we were leaders in organizing, public service