Tube chiefs snub mayor with Tetra deal

Tube bosses have been accused of ignoring the bigger picture by splashing out £1.2bn on a terrestrial trunked radio (Tetra) network while its trains, tracks, signalling and escalators wear out.

The Tetra deal, revealed by Network News this week, is the latest in a long list of snubs to London Mayor Ken Livingstone by tube bosses and the government, as he battles for an £8bn upgrade.

Jon Collin, head of research at Sundial Consultants, said it is clear London Underground is throwing money at what it perceives as a problem rather than looking at the bigger picture.

"What concerns me is that it is investing in technology to fix one area rather than scoping the entire problem. If Livingston is looking to invest £8bn, then some of it will be used to tackle communication," said Collin.

The deal, called Connect, was financed through a private funding initiative in a consortium of Fluor, Racal and Motorola.

The 20-year contract was signed before Livingstone could bring in New York subway supremo Robert Kiley to take control of London Underground.

When Kiley starts in January, he will walk into a done deal that forces him to spend a significant part of his annual budget on radios.

Albert White, radio implementation manager at London Underground, agreed that an upgrade of the tube is necessary but insisted that the communication system plays an essential part in improving the tube's efficiency.

Instead of antennae, Connect uses expensive 'leaky feeders', because this is the only transmission device that will fit into the narrow tube tunnels and spread out a radio signal evenly.

"It is like a cable with holes in it," said White. "Through the holes, the signal leaks out into the tunnel."

To guarantee continuous communication during the implementation of Connect, the consortium has set aside £5m to maintain and upgrade the previous radio system. Livingston was reluctant to comment on any operational matters before Kiley takes control.

First published in Network News