Tube upgrade at risk in £1.4bn shortfall, says LU

MAJOR Tube upgrade projects could be under threat unless extra funds are found to plug a £1.4 billion cash shortfall, the boss of London Underground warned today.

Plans to ease overcrowding in stations, tunnel-cooling programmes and disabled access projects might have to be sacrificed if the Government refuses to release more cash.

LU chief Tim O'Toole suggested the installation of new tracks and signalling systems designed to provide faster and more frequent train services could also be at risk.

His warning comes after the Mayor warned the Tube would buckle under the pressure of rising passenger numbers unless the £30 billion upgrade programme was fully funded.

Mr O'Toole told the London Assembly's transport committee it was "imperative" the Government delivered on its commitment to fund the Tube upgrade so avoiding any funding gap. In the event of a shortfall, he said: "You would then have to turn to other works so the choices would be obvious. It would be the major congestion release schemes, it would be further cutting back on tunnel cooling, it would be further cutting back on other of the essential work on upgrading the Tube."

Terry Morgan, chief executive of Tube Lines, which runs the Jubilee, Piccadilly and Northern lines, told the committee: "Demand for the Tube is very high, performance is improving, so if we don't continue this journey the consequences are that the Tube will not maintain its level of performance."

Mr O'Toole suggested that some of Tube Lines work could be brought back into a "conventional structure" - suggesting that TfL would take a bigger stake in the firm so upgrade work could be done more efficiently. Transport Minister Lord Adonis said last week that the Government would not provide any extra cash beyond TfL's current £39 billion 10-year settlement.