THERE are now a record number of trains running on the Central Line, according to Tube chiefs.

Metronet, the company responsible for the multi-million pound upgrade and revamp of the Tube network in London, has announced that over the last six weeks an average of 74 trains were in service during peak hours the highest number in 11 years.

Metronet bosses say the improvement was only made possible following the company's cash investment to get the reliability of the Central Line up to speed.

They have pledged to spend £17 billion over the next 30 years to upgrade, replace and maintain nine of the 12 Tube lines on the London Underground network and will spend £7 billion during the first seven and a half years on new trains, track, signalling and stations.

Andrew Cooper, managing director of Metronet Rail BCV, said: "We have had a tremendous amount to do to the trains since the Chancery Lane incident but over the last year we have made great strides.

"We aimed to have 75 Central Line trains out of a total of 85 in service by March 2004 and we have already achieved that target. We had 77 trains in service on January 5 that's the highest so far."

A joint Metronet and Bombardier Transportation Services team, based at Hainault Depot, east London, has been responsible for getting the service up to scratch.

Its first task was to understand all the issues affecting the trains and to develop a strategy to resolve every outstanding technical issue as quickly as possible, prioritising them so the trains can meet demands of a more intense timetable later this year.

Mr Cooper also said: "In addition to increasing the number of trains on the Central Line, this week we begin investing £68 million on an overhaul programme which will take two years to complete, which includes attention to underfloor equipment and doors to further improve the reliability of this line."