Kevin wrote:

So your solution would be?

And what about the second hour. My comment was for late running
engineering work, not the fact that between 5.30 and 6.30 the tube is
hardly used.

Late running engineering work would have to be tackled the same way as it
is at present. What we are effectively looking at is having the same
length of time in which to let the engineers do their work as they have
present. In a nutshell it's unacceptable that possessions overrun in the
first place and I would guess as with the TOCs and Network Rail there is
some sort of financial penalty. For the passenger it means they are
delayed in getting to work, just the same as when the system screws
itself up at 8am on a weekday morning for example.

My solution is that people go home earlier.

As long as the bars and clubs are open, people will stay there. They will
find a way home.

I can see this idea causing considerable problems for workers getting
into work for Saturday morning, and travellers with early departures.
It will will boil down to has more clout.

Those with early departures? OK for flights, early long distance trains
coaches etc. then they will have to take in to account these details when
arranging their journey. I've caught Eurostar from Waterloo from
where I live in North London well before the tube opens up. Easy answer,
it's called a Night Bus.

The retail industry having problems getting workers in on Saturday
morning

Of course shops have different opening hours. Most don't open until 9,
many in Central London (including where I work) don't open until 10.
Sundays it's either 10 or 11. You're really trying to say by postponing
the tube start up from 05:30-ish to 06:30-ish will prevent people from
getting to work on time?

What I keep stressing is not gain an hour at the end of the day at the
expense of an hour the next morning twice per week simply because the
engineers need access to the line for every hour of every night. Why
can't we close the system down an hour at the weekend or two later then
re-open the times they currently do the next morning? The engineers etc.
need to adapt, make their operations fit around the service pattern, not
vice-versa.

--
Phil Richards
Strod Green, London
Home page: http://www.philrichards1.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk