Hong Kong metro chiefs advise TfL

Tube chiefs are in talks with transport bosses in Hong Kong to keep London's ailing Underground working.

Transport for London (TfL) is using experts at Hong Kong's mass transit railway (MTR) as troubleshooters in an attempt to cut the huge number of breakdowns on the Tube network.

It follows increasing concern at the most senior level of the Mayor ' s transport authority about soaring levels of disruption.

A senior TfL source confirmed that meetings with the MTR Corporation had taken place and more were planned.

The source said MTR's expertise in running the Hong Kong metro, which has a 99 per cent punctuality record, "could prove invaluable in helping to sort out the Tube's problems".

The MTR Corporation is expanding into Europe - both in running train services and advising on engineering and signalling - and views London, where it has an office, as the key market.

MTR is advising on signal problems, the most common cause of Tube breakdowns. Also on the agenda is its possible involvement in LU plans for a huge redevelopment of West Hampstead station as a principal hub.

Tube Lines, the private sector consortium, plans to introduce state-of-the-art signals, as used on the Hong Kong metro, on the Jubilee and Northern lines.