After a formal question to the Mayor by Caroline Pidgeon AM, Transport for London has admitted that "step-free" stations had a total of 9000 hours of lift failures in 2013 - as well as 500 hours of unplanned closures due to staff shortages or emergency cleaning.
The worst-hit station was Westminster, with over 2000 hours of lift failures.
Caroline commented:
“The Mayor and TfL must now explain why in particular the lifts operating across the Jubilee Line extension are so unreliable. Bold claims about a station having step free access are meaningless when lifts are not operating for such long periods of time. It is utterly disgraceful that such an important station as Westminster, which is at the very heart of our capital, is so inaccessible.
“People with mobility issues are being denied full access to the London Underground. When the only lift down to a platform is not operating the reality for a disabled person is that the station might as well be closed. There seems a serious problem with the lifts at stations on the Jubilee Line that were only installed a few years ago.”
Read more at the Evening Standard and Transport For All.