Sorry; the Tube was late – and other dodgy excuses!
11 Dec 2008 09:42 AM
Transport for London busts the commuter cover-ups that we all know and love
It seems that Londoners enjoy spinning a yarn when trying to hide their poor time keeping, with nearly half admitting that they lie about why they are late according to new research from Transport for London. In fact, almost two thirds (65 per cent) of those questioned also confessed that most of the time the real reason for their lateness lies squarely with themselves.
The research, released to launch TfL’s new suite of online Travel Tools, shows a range of excuses that people fall back on, with trusty favourites including delayed transport, poor traffic and oversleeping. For example, one in five (20 per cent) Londoners admitted to using the ‘Tube was late’ as an excuse, when only five per cent of those questioned agreed that the Underground was actually responsible for making them late.
Travel Tools allow you to get live travel news and stay one step ahead of any disruptions to your journey. With regular text and email alerts and live travel news available online and on your mobile phone, the Travels Tools are making short shrift of old excuses.
So what is really making Londoners late? The research reveals that Londoners penchant for “just five more minutes” in bed is one of the prime culprits with one in seven admitting that we tend to hit the snooze button rather than face the day ahead. Several respondents even confessed that early morning nookie was the real reason for their lateness! Even once we’re up, we still tend to dawdle before heading out the door with people citing wardrobe crises, makeup malfunctions and partner procrastination resulting in their tardiness.
Richard Parry, Director of Strategy & Service Development for London Underground, said: “The Tube was delayed’ used to be a standard excuse for Londoners late for an appointment. But with the Tube offering a fast and frequent service from early in the morning until late at night across the Capital, and delays at their lowest for a decade or more, those days are gone. The introduction of our new 'Travel Tools' services, providing easy access to real time travel information, service updates, and a Tube map you can use on your mobile, means that you can check before you travel or on the move. With so many ways to get travel information, Londoners will have to become more creative with their excuses!”
The Travel Tools are being launched as part of the multi billion pound London Underground Investment Programme and can be viewed at www.tfl.gov.uk/traveltools.
Highlights include:
· An SMS message service which alerts people to delays on their usual routes
· A mid week email alert, which details planned weekend works and links to the TfL site; an excellent lifestyle addition for the 10% of men who find it hard to arrive on time for a date!
· A ‘service update’ board similar to the ones found on station platforms
· An interactive ‘planned works’ Tube map, searchable by date, highlighting the sections affected by upgrade works
· Downloadable ‘widget’ versions of the Travel Tools so you can get live updates on your own website, blog or homepage
The new Travel Tools are designed to help us get around whilst the London Underground Investment Programme progresses; by 2012 renewal work will have been completed on almost every station on the Tube network. Recent milestones include:
· The launch of a newly refurbished state-of-the-art Network Operations Centre
· The unveiling of the first air-conditioned trains, the S Stock, which will operate on the Metropolitan line from 2010 before rolling out across the District, Circle and Hammersmith & City lines
· Transport improvements unveiled at Wood Lane and Shepherd’s Bush Stations
· Wide aisle gates installed in local stations including Hammersmith, Kennington and Edgware.
Notes to editors
Additional research findings include:
· 10 per cent of men said that they were often late because of their partners
· Nearly 90 per cent of women are rarely or never late to pick up their children from school compared to the 70 per cent of men who strive to be on time for the school run
· Nearly 50 per cent of women feel guilty when they are late compared to just under 40 per cent of London men
Reason for Being Late Reality Excuse
The bus was late 6% 27%
The train was late 5% 23%
The Tube was late 5% 21%
I overslept 14% 20%
I lost track of time (activities include putting on make up, having a wardrobe crisis, waiting for my partner to get ready, making my packed lunch, spending too much time watching TV, early morning nookie.
17% 26%
Other reasons given for being late %
A child’s performance 5
An interview 19
A flight 10
A wedding 7
My own wedding 3
A funeral 5
The birth of my child 3
My wedding anniversary 2
A Valentine’s Date 3
Christmas Dinner 3
Other 6
London Underground (LU) is undertaking a major programme of renewal as part of Transport for London’s Investment Programme. This will inevitably result in some disruption for passengers, but TfL is working hard to provide information and alternative travel options. The work is essential to provide for London’s growing transport needs now, and into the future. TfL is urging all Londoners and Tube, London Overground and DLR passengers to “check before you travel” at weekends, allowing extra journey time where necessary. Weekend travel news is available at www.tfl.gov.uk"
For further information contact Carolyn Abassi Larkey or Sarah Viner at Fishburn Hedges on 020 7544 3109