Tramlink hit by heavy traffic causing delays

It wasn’t meant to be like this was it? London Tramlink have suffered delays on two consecutive evenings in Croydon town centre because of heavy traffic meaning the trams were unable to get through the Croydon loop which lead to the suspension of tram services between East Croydon and Reeves Corner – trams from New Addington, Beckenham Junction and Elmers End were terminated at East Croydon whilst services from Wimbledon were ended at Reeves Corner. The heavy traffic was said to be in the Church Street area on both Thursday 15^th and Friday 16^th December and was said to be down to people Christmas shopping. Unfortunately it would appear that Transport for London took the easy option by suspending services rather than ensuring that the trams could get through the middle of Croydon – it doesn’t exactly put the case forward for extensions of the network when it can’t cope with a bit of extra traffic does it?