THE Metropolitan line has been hit by a series of delays since the introduction of a new timetable, prompting widespread anger from commuters.
Causes of delays this month have included timetable issues leaving crews in the wrong place, adverse weather conditions, defective trains, and even unexploded World War Two bombs.
Transport for London ( TfL ) has apologised but failed to explain the apparent problems with timetables and more new S-Class trains, introduced on December 13.
A spokeswoman said: "Most of the tube network has run normally despite the snow and ice, but some of the above ground sections, including parts of the Metropolitan line, have experienced delays as a result of the extreme cold.
"This has also coincided with the introduction of a new timetable. We would like to apologise to customers for any inconvenience caused and will continue to work around the clock to keep London moving."
Commuter Martin Body, 62, said it wasn't good enough.
"There have been delays, but they never seem to come clean with the reasons," he said. "Twice in the last week, after sitting on a train at Harrow for ages, we were eventually turfed out because there was supposed to be a crew change but no fresh driver appeared, so the driver told us.
"On both occasions he then changed it to the old cop-out excuse of 'computer problems' and terminated the train.
"They insult our intelligence when they trot out feeble excuses and that is more annoying than anything else, because you know you are being fobbed off with a lie."
TfL said it was using 'sleet trains' each night to keep lines free of ice. But there were severe delays occurring frequently on the line even before the most recent cold snap started.
On Thursday (16), the Hammersmith and City line was part suspended after a false alert that an unexploded World War Two bomb had been found under the tracks near Goldhawk Road station.
The delays impacted the Met line, which shares its tracks with the Hammersmith and City between Baker Street and Liverpool Street.
In a recent survey by pollsters YouGov, just three per cent of more than 1,000 London Underground users said they rated the Met line as the most reliable service, while nine per cent put the Jubilee line on top. The Bakerloo line also polled three per cent, while the Northern line, which terminates at Edgware, scored eight per cent.
BEST MET LINE DELAY EXCUSES
1) Unexploded World War Two bombs
2) Crews in wrong place
3) Defective trains
4) Adverse weather conditions
5) Signal failures
