TfL Promises Fewer Closures at Clapham South Station Soon!

Transport for London (TfL) has announced that these frustrating shutouts should be easing up in the next few weeks!

For those who’ve been stuck in the throngs, it’s no secret that Clapham South has been playing a bit of a disappearing act lately, thanks to overcrowding. At a recent meeting, Hina Bokhari, a Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member, put it to Mayor Sadiq Khan directly: “As a frequent user of the Northern line, I’m sure you are aware of the frequent closures of Clapham South Station, which has been repeated and extended over the last year. It’s inconvenient, it’s adding pressure and overcrowding to other stations, like Clapham Common and Balham.”

Mayor Khan didn’t dodge the issue. He owned up to the fact that both Clapham South and Clapham Common are “incredibly busy, popular stations.” He explained that the station often has to close its gates purely for safety reasons, saying, “Sometimes the stations are closed because just the sheer numbers of commuters down on the platforms means that, for their safety, the gates are closed to make sure they can leave before new passengers are let in.”

And why all the new foot traffic? The area has seen a big boost in residential development, meaning more folks are calling Clapham home. “More and more of those homes, that used to be family homes, have now got people living there who work in the city, and so there’s more people using public transport,” the Mayor added.

Good News on the Horizon?

But it’s not just overcrowding that’s causing the headaches. Mayor Khan also pointed out that a “lack of staff” is partly to blame. Many commuters opt for Clapham Common Station over others because it’s in Zone 2 – meaning it’s lighter on the pocket.

Andy Lord, the TfL commissioner, was quick to offer some words of comfort: “Firstly, my apologies to customers and the community being impacted by the closures.” He mentioned that TfL is wrapping up new rosters for key staff roles across the network. This will help make sure stations are better staffed, keeping those gates open when you need them most.

“The supervisory grades are the most critical grades in terms of keeping stations open, and that has been one of the reasons why Clapham South and a small number of other stations have had slightly higher numbers of closures,” Lord explained.

And here’s the best bit – Lord expects things to “improve significantly over the coming weeks.” So, with any luck, you’ll soon be able to hop on the Northern line without the added stress of wondering if your local station is actually open!

Fingers crossed, Claphamites. The light at the end of the tunnel might just be a little closer than you think!