Tube closures: why not ask what the passengers think?

• YOUR article on Tube line closures was fascinating (Short, sharp closure will limit Tube line misery, pleads MP, February 5). Here we have two powerful politicians of the same political party, Labour, expressing two quite different opinions on the Northern line upgrade: Jeremy Corbyn advocating total closure and Jennette Arnold partial closure.

 As we are all going to continue to suffer further disruption for years to come if the Tube network is to be fully modernised, could I therefore suggest a really radical proposal? However, I do admit that it is a concept that is very strange to Transport for London and London Underground management. This is actually to ask fare-paying passengers what they think. Which option do they prefer or, indeed, would they rather have another option? 

Who knows, Tube management may even get some goodwill from passengers for at least asking.

CHRIS BULFORD
College Cross, N1

I WROTE to the managing director of London Underground and the chief executive of Tube Lines urging them to review their programme for Northern line closures to reduce the level of disruption for passengers.

I have just received correspondence from London Underground which confirms the closure programme as it stands. In summary, the current programme would mean 65 closures across the Northern line (with 35 closures on the north London stretch) between March this year and November 2011. 

In addition, 16 months of early-evening closures have been planned (Monday to Thursday) on the whole line north of Stockwell from July this year. This would mean the last trains from central London will leave at around 10.30pm, with services starting to ramp down from 8.30pm.

You can see the full list of dates and follow my work on this and other transport matters at www.glalabour.com or you can check on the Transport for London website www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/livetravelnews/realtime/tube/station-closures.pdf

JENNETTE ARNOLD
London Assembly Labour member for North East London