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London train companies apologise for large-scale disruptions

Summary:

The city has experienced travel disruptions over the past 48 hours, causing delays and cancellations to services.

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By James Pozzi

Embattled London train companies have apologised for the large-scale disruptions throughout the city in the past 48 hours.

Commuters were left stranded after incidents at New Malden Railway station and Oxford Street Tube station caused delays and cancellations to services.

A man was killed after a collision on platform four with the London Waterloo to Shepperton train at New Malden station at 1:11pm on Wednesday afternoon.

Jake Kelly, customer service director at South West trains who are responsible for the service, said: “I am very sorry for the inconvenience this will have caused.”

Mr Kelly added that the arrival of emergency services was the contributory factor to the delays, where they announced the man as dead at the scene.

The following evening saw festive shoppers in central London inconvenienced after the closure of one of the capital’s busiest tube stations.

A group of more than 200 DR Congo demonstrators caused an emergency evacuation of Oxford Circus Tube station for half an hour at about 9:30pm.

About 30 police officers were sent into the station after they set off a passenger alarm on a train they had boarded following an earlier protest in Whitehall over their country’s political situation.

Aaron Davidson, 32, who commutes daily from Aldershot and was delayed at New Malden on Wednesday evening, said the situation was frustrating for passengers.

“The death of someone is obviously awful, but the resulting disruption is absolutely catastrophic for so many,” he said.

He added: “I don’t think a lot of people have faith in the train services in this country.”

Marie Ravenhill, 26, commutes from Kingston and endured a two-hour journey by bus instead of the 20 minutes it normally takes on the train.

She said: “It’s utterly ridiculous but sadly I can’t say I’m all that surprised.”

A statement on the Transport for London website today announced changes to schedules over the Christmas and New Year period.

It urges travellers to plan ahead in light of any possible disruptions to avoid disappointment.

Visit http://www.tfl.gov.uk/festivetravel for more information.

 

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