Revealed: Tube stations closed for 76 days since 2019 for staff shortages, safety issues & customer incidents

London’s Tube stations have been closed for a total of 76 days over the past three years, new figures show.

Of the Tube’s 272 stations, 132 closed due to staff shortages, mostly due to Covid-19 - and 248 for other reasons.

In total, there were 1,658 station closure incidents between January 2019 and April 2022.

The figures were announced by the mayor of London Sadiq Khan, responding to a written question by Labour London Assembly Member Elly Baker.

Last week the government agreed a short-term extension to the bailout it provided TfL in February after negotiations failed to progress.

The previous funding deal states that the transport body must make savings of £730m a year, leading to job cut proposals and a 4% cut to bus services.

The mayor and TfL Commissioner have warned that the lack of a multi-year funding agreement could force London’s transport network to fall into a ‘managed decline’ scenario.

This would mean infrastructure projects scrapped and job cuts, as well as tube services being cut by 9% and bus services reduced by 18%.

Labour’s London Assembly transport spokesperson, Elly Baker, said: “The Government’s inaction and inefficiency in agreeing a TfL funding deal is extraordinary.

“Londoners are left facing the frustration of further station closures, staffing problems and the delay of key infrastructure repairs and upgrades.

“TfL workers have gone above and beyond to keep London moving in extremely challenging circumstances.

“Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring London’s transport network is more resilient and fit for the future is paramount.

“The series of short-term sticking plaster deals announced by ministers have held back our economic recovery and are forcing TfL to make significant cuts to tube and bus services.

“It’s high-time the government stopped punishing Londoners and provided the fair, long-term TfL funding that London deserves.”

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said ministers "want to give TfL a longer-term capital deal" but accused the mayor of using cuts as a "political weapon", claiming they were "not necessary and will not save much money".

But Mr Khan claimed last week that cuts would need to be made unless a long-term funding deal was agreed.

He said: "Cuts on this scale have never been seen in London before. This is not sabre-rattling or scaremongering. It’s in TfL’s official budget.

"It’s no way to treat Londoners and the transport network they rely upon."

Stations with the longest closures

• Kentish Town: 112 hours
• Fulham Broadway: 79 hours
• Northwick Park: 40 hours
• Ruislip Manor: 36 hours
• Regents Park: 36 hours
• Turnpike Lane: 32 hours
• Stepney Green: 31 hours
• Wood Green: 30 hours
• Walthamstow Central: 29 hours
• Maida Vale: 28 hours
• Tufnell Park: 28 hours
• Borough: 26 hours
• Oval: 24 hours