The Metronet Rail consortium has admitted that software
problems lay behind a shutdown of Central Line services on the
London Underground last week.
Metronet Rail, the consortium responsible for renewing
two-thirds of the Tube’s infrastructure under a public-private
partnership (PPP) scheme, apologised for the Central Line delays
last Monday (20 November 2006).
The consortium said the loading of new signalling software
containing London Underground’s revised timetabling information had
“caused a total break-down of the systems at the start of
service”.
Central Line trains began running at 8.45am on Monday, but
Transport for London said minor delays had occurred on subsequent
days while the problems were resolved.
The Metronet apology came just days after the consortium was
slammed in the PPP Arbiter’s annual report on its performance. The
arbiter said Metronet had not performed in line with good industry
practice over the first three years of the London Underground
PPP.
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