Tube drivers pass red signals

Tube drivers passed signals at danger 63 times during a four-week investigation by the Evening Standard.

London Underground chiefs are so concerned by the number of signals passed at danger (Spads) that they have launched a special inquiry.

Investigations will centre on the District line around Earl's Court, where documents seen by this newspaper show that a signal passed at red is four or five times more likely than elsewhere on the network.

The investigation - using confidential Tube documents - shows most Spads happened on the District line, which is used by 700,000 passengers a day, making it the network's busiest line. There were also 18 Spads on the District line, 13 on the Piccadilly and 11 on the Northern.

In one incident a driver went through a signal at danger as he was approaching Barking on the District line after he dropped his tea. He told investigators he missed the signal when he looked away to catch his cup.

An LU report into the Earl's Court Spad problem says there are several reasons for it. These include the location of the signals and a possible lapse in concentration caused by drivers who change shifts and take meal breaks there. Delays follow a Spad because drivers must report it and wait until the signal isreset.

The report highlights the large number of trains and signals in and around Earl's Court as another possible cause and says incidents are more likely there during peak-hour services.

The relative inexperience of drivers on the District line is also mentioned; 63 per cent of them have been driving for two years or less. An LU spokeswoman confirmed the increase in Spads on the District line in and around Earl's Court, adding: "When people first start driving they are more likely to pass a signal at danger," she said.

The spokeswoman described as "remote" the likelihood of a collision following a Spad, how ever, and added: "There is little danger. We have automatic train protection on all our trains and signals. If a train passes a red signal then a trip system on the track applies the brakes."

As well as Spads,the 127 incidents recorded in the four-week period included signal and train failures and problems with the tracks, all of which amounted to delays totalling 54 hours and 33 minutes.

Individual stations were also shut for a variety of reasons: Lambeth North on the Bakerloo line was closed for 73 minutes because cooking oil over-heated on the mess room stove, setting off smoke alarms and plunging the station into full alert mode. In accordance with regulations the station had to be shut while the source of the smoke was identified.

On the Central line - used by more than 600,000 people a day - a driver passed a signal atred because engineers had left too much grease on the tracks following night-time engineering work. The driver hit the brakes at the signal but slid by it, triggering the brakes.

A westbound Metropolitan line train hit a bicycle thrown onto the track near Hillingdon. The current had to be turned off for 41 minutes while it was removed from underneath the train.

Services on the Hammersmith & City line were delayed when a station supervisor saw a male youth "surfing" on the back of a train at Upton Park. The supervisor, travelling on the next train, caught up with the surfer and his brother at Plaistow station one stop down the line - but they had to be released w hen British Transport Police was unable to send officers to the scene.

Some of the worst delays happened when worn-out track and signalling equipment broke down - or when night-time engineering work overran. This happened at Brixton which did not open until 8.53am one morning, some three-and-a-half hours late.

On the Central line accumulated delays included incidents where trains were stranded in tunnels after signals failed at 10.30am one morning near Leytonstone. Sections of line were suspended, trains reversed and passengers evacuated.

The service did not start up again until 1.26pm but there w ere knock-on delays.

Despite the disruptions, however, travel on the Tube has improved since this newspaper conducted a similar study this time three years ago.

During the investigation in 1999 there were 152 delays caused by Spads, mechanical and electrical breakdowns or by insufficient drivers. The accumulated delays amounted to 5,284 minutes.

This time,the 127 incidents led to 3,260 minutes of delays - but there was not one case of a driver being unavailable.

However, before getting too carried away by this, it must be remembered that our investigation has not taken into account delays - of which there were many - over which LU had no control, such as security alerts, passengers misbehaving or power failures caused by outside electricity boards.