Upgrade work on the Piccadilly line at risk

Upgrade work on the Piccadilly line, which runs from Enfield's nearest tube station, Oakwood, into central London, is at risk due to a shortfall in cash.

According to the Evening Standard, the Government and Tube Lines are involved in a row over a funding gap of £1.4billion. Tube Lines, the private sector consortium which is also responsible for the Northern and Jubilee lines, has confirmed that the Piccadilly Line upgrade, which would include 91 new trains, is "at risk" and Terry Morgan, Tube Lines' chief executive, said if the funding gap is not filled "the greatest risk is the upgrade of the Piccadilly line".

This is bad news for Enfield, with the Piccadilly line from Oakwood into central London and on to Heathrow playing a vital part in the town's transport infrastructure. The line is over 100 years old and in desperate need of an upgrade. An increase in capacity of 24% was due by 2015 and journey times would have decreased by 19% as a result.

The underground's third busiest line, the Piccadilly line is used by over 600,000 people daily and is already heavily congested, partly because outer London residents have less alternative options than those living closer to zone one.

Are you a regular user of the Piccadilly line? Have you noticed an increased strain on it recently? How do you feel about the proposed upgrade work being cancelled?