Seeing double -or not at all, Liberal Democrats ask when the tube is coming.

5.25.00pm GMT Thu 31st Dec 2009

Not much information in Whitechapel

Tower Hamlets Liberal Democrat Councillors use a lot of public transport - and spend a lot of time reading platform announcements. Today, Councillor Stephanie Eaton asks why there are two sets of timing announcement boards at Bethnal Green Tube station and none at all at Whitechapel station.

Plenty of information in Bethnal Green Tube station

As these pictures show, Bethnal Green tube has no shortage of information. On each platform there are two sets of announcement boards, each telling passengers when the next train is coming and where it is going. By contrast, Whitechapel station has old style boards that tell you which train is leaving next, but not when or where it is going.

Councillor Stephanie Eaton said today "I have long wondered why there is a double set of announcements at Bethnal Green tube. I thought one set was probably replacing the other but the two boards seem to have been there for a while... And recently when I was waiting for a train at Whitechapel, a huge number of tourists who had been enjoying Brick Lane and the Whitechapel market were totally confused by the lack of information at Whitechapel. It's bizarre that there is too much information at one and not enough at the other. Who is in charge and what are they doing?"

Councillor Stephanie Eaton is liaising with GLA member Caroline Pigeon who is the Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson in London to try and work out the mystery of the information boards in Tower Hamlets. Cllr Eaton added: "We will be asking for one set to be taken down at Bethnal Green so that there is no waste of electricity, and for improved signage at Whitechapel"