This is a depressing article. Is London really this bad ?
Yes it is but......
There is a bit of journalistic timing here. I had noticed the Source London network gradually crumbling over the last 6 months or more. Points were going off line and different maps and apps were showing differing status reports. It seems that as the end of the TFL era approached nobody had a real handle on just how bad things were becoming (or perhaps they just didn't care as it would soon be "Somebody Else's Problem".)
I imagine that there has been something of a stock-take here and this is where its stands now. A true test will be where it stands in 6 months. I imagine that some of these posts are not repaired because they were little or never used under the TFL era.
The new owners need the posts operational if they are to launch the hire car scheme planned for next year. If there is any responsibility on others to repair these under contract I am sure that this will be enforced by a private business where the government run operation would just keep their heads down.
If you think this is leading to a conclusion that private enterprise will succeed where a local government scheme has failed then yes, it will. The only snag is that it will come at a price. London will no doubt join the list of places that people will charge in for "emergencies only". When we complain about the pricing I am sure we will be told that they inherited a network that was in need of significant repairs and this cost must be clawed back.
Despite my comment regarding journalistic timing I still welcome the article for raising awareness.