What is "LUL"?
What makes you suggest it starts with 020 7227?
If it takes as many calls as you say it does, then where is it advertised?
Why are people calling it? What is the significance of Tuesday mornings? What is its purpose?

The 0845 330 9878 number answers as the "Busking helpline" as the email address suggests.

The only customer services number for London Underground we have is  020 72277881.

Further TFL numbers can be found by searching the database for

(tfl)

Put the brackets in to narrow down; so you don't get words that contain the letters "tfl".

gpx wrote on Dec 20^th, 2008 at 4:51pm:

The purpose of the website is to assist each other in finding numbers as well as sharing those numbers we have found. Those who contribute do not have special powers to find alternatives.

Similarly, if you find that the number listed for customer services works for busking enquiries, then you should let us know so that the database can be amended accordingly.

As you are looking for the number, then perhaps you can try some 020 7227788x and 020 7227789x numbers during office hours to see if they will deal with your enquiry.

I doubt you will find one which answers with the exact same recording as is on the 0845 number because that is based on the 0845 number itself. Once you have selected the appropriate menu option (if there is a menu) on the 0845 number, and hold music plays, it is likely that you will be in a queue and when a free line becomes available on the 020 number(s), it will ring it. You may still hear music during this ringing period.

So don't expect to find an alternative which answers the same as the 0845 number, although I believe one will exist somewhere (but not on the 020 7227 range).

gpx wrote on Dec 22^nd, 2008 at 2:24am:

020 3054 is allocated to Cable & Wireless, change date 01/2007

A Google of 020 3054 reveals quite a few numbers which relate to Transport for London (TFL).

There seem to be a few options here:-

1. Sign up for BT's Anytime Calls Plan which includes 0845 numbers 24/7 but does have a monthly cap on the number of included 0845 minutes (not sure what that is offhand)

2. Dave seems to have missed suggesting that you submit a request for the geographic alternative to this number under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 200 as TfL is a public body and so subject to it.  See www.tfl.gov.uk/foi/

3. You might want to consider complaining to your local member of the Greater London Authority and complain to them that this is unfair to buskers trying to earn a modest living, many of whom may only have a mobile phone and not a landline.  See www.london.gov.uk/assembly/constituencies.jsp

4. Have you written by email to all the board members and senior management of TfL about this?  See www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/1434.aspx and www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/boardandchiefofficers/1432.aspx ; Senior management email addresses are FirstnameLastname@tfl.gov.uk (note there is no dot between the Firstname and Lastname and if you get this wrong emails to Firstname.Lastname@tfl.gov.uk are not bounced but simply fall in to an electronic black hole).  Note that Boris Johnson is Chairman of TfL  You can also email him at mayor@london.gov.uk

You really need to kick up a fuss making clear that 0845 numbers are always excluded form bundled minutes on mobile and cost 20p per minute instead of 1p per minute from a BT Payphone and it is unacceptable to charge a covert premium rate in this way when TfLs main swithboard is still the geographic 020 7222 5600.  You may also need to refer to the ASA adjudications that 0845 is not "local rate" and the advice of the Central Office of Information and Sire David Varney that government contact centres should not use 084/7 numbers as they make it unaffordable for the public to get in touch.

HateExpN wrote on Dec 28^th, 2009 at 9:05am:


Surley you mean a geographical alternative?


Anyway from their web site......

If you call 020 7222 1234
In the meantime, you'll be transferred to the new number at no extra charge.

Hi and welcome to SAYNOTO0870.COM.

Transport for London is coming in for alot of criticism from members of this site because of its recent change of the travel information line to a 0843 number. This discussion thread for this is here.

I have been through the TfL alternative numbers we have and removed those which no longer work:

Oystercard 0845 330 9876/81 : 020 7227 7891
Underground Customer Services 0845 330 9880 : 020 7227 7881

For the time being, at least, I have replaced the alternatives for these entries with TfL's main switchboard number, (020) 7222 5600, which is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. They may or may not be able to (or will not) put callers through; try it and see.


As for finding more suitable alternatives, I tried all 020 7227 7xxx numbers and found the following:

• 800 to 819 "Number is no longer in use" recording
• 820 through to 879 are not recognised
• 880 through to 899 with the exception of 897 all answer with a recording saying that either the particular number is not in use or that the number for Oyster is now 0845 330 9876.
• 897 rings no answer.

The TfL contact page gives 55 Broadway, London, SW1H 0BD as the contact address for Oystercard (1st Floor, Albany House) and London Underground only. Other parts of TfL have other addresses.

020 7918 4093 is a fax number for Oyster and LU customer services. 020 7918 1000 and 3000 both answer as the TfL switchboard, identical to 020 7222 5600.

The prefix 020 7918 is allocated to the communications provider Cable & Wireless. 020 7222 and 7227 are BT prefixes, so perhaps TfL's numbers are being moved from those provided by BT to C&W ones, and that's the reason the old numbers are going. 


Anyway, digging around finds the number for Howard Collins, Chief Operating Officer of London Underground, which is 020 7918 4036.

I suspect that there are many TfL numbers in the 020 7918 xxxx range. The 020 alternatives we have for other services such as Dial-a-Ride and Low Emission Zone are in various C&W ranges, so the others are needles in a very large haystack.