Vigilance needed to avoid Northern line delays

Published: 8 April, 2010

• MANY Camden residents have been in touch,concerned about the planned weekend closures to the Northern line, during which upgrades to the signalling system will take place.
The upgrade is welcome – it will increase capacity by around 20 per cent – but weekend closures would leave residents of Hampstead, Belsize Park, Highgate, Kentish Town and Camden Town stranded.
I have therefore been campaigning hard to have the work done overnight rather than having up to 80 weekend closures. It looks like this campaign has been a success.
Weekend closures are only currently planned south of Kennington. Work north of the Thames looks like it will be done overnight, starting in July.
This is great news for Camden’s residents and local traders, who rely on the line to bring them vital weekend trade.
Vigilance is now needed to make sure the huge delays which characterised the Jubilee line signal upgrade work does not happen on the Northern line as well.
CHRIS PHILIP
Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, Hampstead & Kilburn