Finsbury Park Tube Chaos Continues

12.00.00am GMT Mon 18th Dec 2000

Cllr Laura Willoughby, the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Islington North, has written again to WAGN train operators and London Underground about their failure to solve the ongoing ticket issuing problems at Finsbury Park Tube. WAGN brought its new computerised ticket machines to the busy commuter hub last month. The new system has caused a range of problems, including: ® invalid ticket issuing ® extensive queues every morning (frequently down Seven Sisters Road) ® no support for customers in using the new equipment. Cllr Laura Willoughby has refused to accept that despite the fact they are WAGN overground train machines that London Underground should not be taking an interest in the ticketing problems. In a letter to both operators she said "Since the introduction of the new computerised machines at WAGN stations there have been the following problems: ® zone top-up cards and single journeys to zone 3 cannot be purchased ® the machine dispenses a British rail ticket which will not go through tube ticket barriers (conversations with staff at several tube stations have confirmed this is happening to a great deal of customers) ® there have been continual breakdowns of the ticket machines ® there is no indication if a machine is not taking cash or cards until you have already queued and are close enough to see the screen ® there has been no help for passengers to use the new machines. "Since my last letter signs have now been stuck on the machines to state they are the responsibility of WAGN and that any customers with problems should go up to the overground platform and ask WAGN staff for assistance. I did this and was told it was nothing to do with them and to queue at the ticket office. This is clearly not good enough when queues are flowing down Seven Sisters Road." In a letter to London Underground Cllr Willoughby wrote: "To take no responsibility for ticketing in such a busy tube station is madness. Urgent action needs to be taken to ensure commuters can buy the full range of tickets that are valid on the Tube." Cllr Willoughby added: "I fear further delays in the new year when commuters look to renew their travel cards. This is not a problem unique to Finsbury park; other stations that have WAGN services operating from the same site have similar problems."