No longer going round in circles?

December 2009

London’s Circle Line has become a lasso-shaped route more than a century after it first opened.



From December 13 all Circle line trains start in Hammersmith, run along the current Hammersmith & City line to Edgware Road and then do a clockwise lap of the Circle line before heading back to Hammersmith. They then do the journey anti-clockwise.

Ten 'meet the manager' events took place at stations in central and west London during the nine days preceding the launch of the new route, to inform passengers about the changes.
But passengers have expressed disappointment and frustration over the consequences of the most radical change ever on the yellow underground line. There will no longer be an automatic through service between the west and north sides of the current Circle line and passengers now have to change trains at Edgware Road. And the number of trains per hour has been reduced from seven to six, despite claims that the extension would have improved train frequency.

Andrew Rees, a graphic designer travelling every morning from Liverpool Street to High Street Kensington, said: “Since the new Circle line was opened, I have to wake up 20 minutes earlier every day to compensate for the time I waste changing at Edgware Road. It is not as good as it used to be.
“Before, I had a choice between travelling clockwise and anti-clockwise; now I have to stop and change in Edgware Road.
“When I first read about the new service I thought it was going to be an improvement: they described it as more reliable than it was before, so I guessed it was going to be more trains, but it is less, actually.
“I will leave a complaint note for customer service soon. I also feel sorry for the staff, because they have to work more than before.”

Emily Fasher, a model who travels every day from High Street Kensington to Farringdon, said: “Last Monday, I thought they were doing some sort of works and that things were going crappy on the Circle line for this reason.
“Today I found out it is permanent and I do not understand why they did change everything. Now I have to stop every day at Edgware Road and it takes up to 15 minutes of my journey if I am lucky, which is very annoying.
“Before, we could choose between changing train or going all round the Circle line, instead.
“I do not think this new system is any good.”

The plans have been designed to accommodate the new faster and longer type of train called ‘S-stock’, which will come on stream in 2010 and in 2013.
Tube chiefs say that even though changing train at Edgware Road is felt to be a disadvantage by commuters, scheduling means most travellers will be able to switch to a neighbouring platform instead of using footbridges.

Ray Patel, a station supervisor who divides his time between Edgware Road and Hammersmith, said: “I have been working for Transport for London for 14 years and I guess this new plan is not the best they did so far.
“Edgware Road used to be a through running station, now it is an interchange one. People take a bit longer than before to go to work or reach their destination and the interchange can also be uncomfortable when it comes to people with luggage, prams and older ones.
“When a train is cancelled from Hammersmith, there is congestion in Edgware Road and things get a bit more difficult.
“I am sure that Transport for London meant to make the service more regular and give drivers enough of a break to avoid potential unscheduled breaks in Edgware Road.
“But commuters are unhappy and many of them are complaining to the staff.”

The unquestioned benefit coming from the new plan is the almost doubled number of trains running to and from Hammersmith: the new Circle line trains, in fact, will run in parallel with the Hammersmith & City line ones, from Edgware Road to Hammersmith.
The new service will feed demand in west London, including the new station at Wood Lane. At present the Hammersmith & City line has only seven trains an hour. Adding the New Circle line route, there will be a tube leaving every four minutes.

Tom Bason, an accountant travelling everyday from Richmond to Wood Lane, says:
“I am lucky because the new service is advantageous to me.
“Once I have reached Hammersmith, I do not have to wait for a train to go to work now. There is always a through one for Edgware Road available on one of the platforms.
“By the way, I am aware of the discomfort for people passing through Edgware Road; they must be wasting time waiting for the following train.”

Mr Patel added: “I am sure the new Circle line is good for all those people travelling from Hammersmith to Edgware Road and vice versa: they now have got double choice at their service.
“The only problem that still remains is the staircase: the new service has brought an increased number of trains and passengers per hour, but they all transit along the unique staircase available. Before it was secure, but now it could be unsafe."