Revamp delays mean Central line won't get better until December

PASSENGERS on the Central line are unlikely to see improvements until the end of the year after delays to the arrival of refurbished trains.

- Ross Lydall

Only one train has re-entered service after being modernised under the £500 million Central line improvement programme (Clip), though a second is due within weeks. A new timetable that would improve train frequencies — gaps of five minutes or more are commonplace — is anticipated by December.

However, there are no immediate plans to tackle waits of up to 20 minutes on the line’s Hainault “loop” in east London until more trains are refurbished.