Transport for London (TfL) says “lessons have been learned” after mass complaints about bus replacement services when several Northern line Tube stations were shut.

Commuters slammed “chaos” when hundreds were left waiting for long periods in the cold for replacement buses while stations between Golders Green and Edgware were closed between April 2 and 11.

It was the first of a series of planned closures as Colindale station is rebuilt – which meant no trains stopped at Golders Green, Brent Cross, Hendon Central, Colindale, Burnt Oak or Edgware.

Ham & High: A large queue waiting for a replacement busA large queue waiting for a replacement bus (Image: Colindale Station - Yes to Redevelopment, No to Closure)

Further closures between these stations are scheduled from June 8 to June 9, June 15 to June 16, June 29 to June 30 and July 27 to July 28.

But Colindale station itself is set to be closed from June 7 until December.

Andy Lord, commissioner of transport at TfL, claims that widely reported problems with irregular bus replacement services should not be the case during the closures later this year.

In a letter to Anne Clarke, the London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden, he said: “I fully recognise the disruption that the closure of the station will cause to those who use it while it is being upgraded, and we remain committed to ensuring that – for those customers – we do all we can to mitigate the impact while we deliver the improvements.”

Mr Lord said TfL is in the process of “procuring service uplifts” during peak hours for the 186 bus, which connects Colindale to Hendon and Mill Hill Broadway.

Another change includes allowing people in Colindale to access Hendon Central for the Northern line or Mill Hill Broadway for Thameslink at no additional cost if they use the 186 bus.

Ham & High: There were large queues at Golders Green There were large queues at Golders Green (Image: Colindale Station - Yes to Redevelopment, No to Closure)

TfL also vows to deliver an “enhanced customer information offering” to make journeys to nearby open stations during Colindale’s closure from June “as easy as possible”.

Mr Lord explained this would include enhanced branding at relevant bus stops, to make it clear to customers how they can access alternative stations.

During the 10-day closure of the Edgware Northern line branch in April, essential works were carried out to support the Colindale upgrade.

This included completing 34 piled foundations adjacent to the track, the demolition of part of the station and a diversion of the station’s power supply.

TfL claims that the replacement bus chaos during this time was due to a combination of factors, including short-notice driver absence and that the service “stabilised” across the rest of the week.

Ham & High: A large queue waiting for a replacement busA large queue waiting for a replacement bus (Image: Colindale Station - Yes to Redevelopment, No to Closure)

Many commuters however argued that travelling was difficult throughout most of the 10-day period.

A survey by the ‘Colindale Station – Yes to redevelopment, no to closure’ group asked 511 people (89 per cent of whom lived in Colindale) how the Northern line closure affected them.

It found most respondents (75 per cent) reduced their outings due to the disruption.

Nearly 82 per cent said they gave up waiting for replacement buses, opting for costlier alternatives.

In response to the findings, TfL previously told the paper that it was “reviewing alternative transport arrangements”.