17 The derailment caused considerable damage to signalling, control and signalling power supply cables that were mounted on the wall where the tube car hit. Repairing and testing these cables delayed restoring services and permitting passengers to switch branches at Camden Town. The line remained partially closed for 8 days (Edgware branch) and 10 days (High Barnet branch). Until re-opening of a fully integrated service on 7 March 2004, passengers who wanted to use the other branch had to switch to another train at Camden or Euston. During this time, there were no services on the Edgware branch between Charing Cross and Golders Green; or on the High Barnet branch between Euston and East Finchley.
18 Replacement bus services (60 buses) were in place less than four hours after the derailment (95 buses on the first following day). Services ran every two minutes during peak periods, stopping at every tube station. However, some delays were experienced on the route to Charing Cross because of traffic and congestion. Shuttle services ran between High Barnet and East Finchley, Golders Green to Edgware. There was some overcrowding on other lines and stations but considerably less than experienced after the Chancery Lane derailment.
19 LUL learnt about the importance of communications from Chancery Lane. It made blanket announcements across all underground stations and it also issued bulletins in the media, over the web, had whiteboard notices and posters in stations and distributed leaflets and handouts for passengers detailing their travel options.
20 LUL estimates lost revenue of approximately £5 million, based on expected and actual revenue rather than lost customer hours. On top of this LUL had to pay a further £5.2 million in costs for: replacement buses (£2.8 million), passenger compensation (£2 million), and other items (£0.4 million).
21 The final cost of repairing the infrastructure is unknown at present, and there is debate about who is responsible for this cost, although LUL is of the view that Infraco JNP (Tube Lines) is responsible to the extent that the damage is uninsured. If Infraco JNP (Tube Lines) does not dispute responsibility for this risk, abatements payable apply to the first 48 hours of suspension of services - at a value of some £7 million - provided remedial work is undertaken economically and efficiently. Abatements only apply to the first 48 hours of such events because this is specified in the PPP contracts. Otherwise, LUL reason that the Infracos would have needed business interruption insurance to cover such risks and, if the period of disruption is extensive, very high insurance premiums would have resulted, pushing up the Infrastructure Service Charge.