THE weekend closures of the Jubilee Line could not have come at a worse time for traders. As if the recession was not presenting them with enough of a battle, those affected by the closures are now faced with another six months of disruption and of course

THE weekend closures of the Jubilee Line could not have come at a worse time for traders. As if the recession was not presenting them with enough of a battle, those affected by the closures are now faced with another six months of disruption and of course the loss in the shorter term of important Christmas and New Year trade.

When the transport companies start falling out among themselves and passing the buck, then it is obvious that the situation is serious and this is exactly what has happened, with Transport for London and TubeLines blaming each other for the ongoing problems.

Regardless of where the most blame lies, there is little evidence of the joined up thinking that is so essential for a major project of this type to be completed in the shortest time possible, with the minimum of disruption to passengers and - just as importantly - the people who depend on them for their livelihoods. Indeed, this sorry episode has been a lesson in how not to do it, but the traders need to see and hear more than semantics.

Perhaps it is time for Boris Johnson to step in and soundly rap the knuckles of both organisations. If it was understood that they would be liable to pay compensation to businesses adversely affected by managerial incompetence, future projects would be organised much more efficiently.