Colindale residents have expressed relief after the reopening of the area’s Underground station brought an end to six months of disruption.
The station opened on 20 December in a temporary state, with the full upgrade scheduled to be completed in autumn this year.
Customers were pleased trains were stopping once again, but complained about communication from Transport for London (TfL) during the closure and struggling to claim refunds on disrupted journeys.
NHS worker Charlotte Gracias said: “It’s such a relief, I didn’t realise how stressed I was until I got on the train without worrying about the bus or the weekends or evenings.”
She added communication from TfL had been unsatisfactory and that road closures in the area had affected the running of replacement bus services.
Gracias said: “We just want to know what’s going on in advance without them springing up some closures on us.
“There needs to be more planning when there’s a station closure and people are relying on roads. If your bus is delayed, it’s causing so many problems.”
TfL was criticised for overcrowding on bus services put in place to relieve the effect of the closed station.
The transport operator provided the NL6 bus service free of charge every ten minutes in the morning peak and every 12 minutes in the evening rush, but some passengers were forced to stand on the top deck, breaching safety regulations.
Refunds for these journeys have been disrupted since the cyber attack on TfL’s system as well.
Some Colindale passengers claim they are still owed hundreds of pounds.
TfL said they had taken action to protect customer details since the attack, which had disrupted the processing of refunds.
Lisa Lu, a London tour guide who lives across from Colindale station, said: “I get that they were hit hard but they still have the responsibility, they were still charging us to use the bus.
“It was just joyous, incredible, glorious to have it back.
“I don’t have to be concerned about how I’m going to get to work and come back home late at night.
“Having the station gone and the huge inconvenience of the bus was just horrific.
“TfL and the council were so horrible to us about communication and planning, especially with what they were going to provide for us during that period.”
Both Gracias and Lu expressed concern that the station may close again, though TfL confirmed that it had no plans to do so.
In its temporary state, the station is running a one-way system and has four payment pads in the ticket hall instead of barriers.
One passenger said these measures had confused some passengers, though TfL said station staff were experienced in making sure the building operated safely.
TfL’s Chief Capital Officer Stuart Harvey said: “We will now be working at pace to complete this much-needed major upgrade which will transform the journeys of many thousands of our customers for many decades to come.
“This station upgrade is also key to supporting sustainable growth, helping to unlock the delivery of thousands of new homes and jobs.”
Customers at Colindale station are advised to plan their journey using TfL Go or TfL Journey Planner, with information screens unavailable in the ticket hall or on platforms while in the temporary state.
Image: James Cracknell via Wikimedia Commons
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