Andrew Dismore

Question No: 2018/2799

Andrew Dismore

How many outstanding complaints in terms of a) number of sites and b) number of individual complaints are there concerning tube noise, broken down by line?

Written response from the Mayor

There are currently 236 ongoing complaints, across 64 sites.

Bakerloo line: 2 (ongoing complaints)

Central line: 27

District: 19

Hammersmith & City: 9

Jubilee: 15

Metropolitan: 4

Northern: 114

Piccadilly: 3

Victoria: 43

Transport for London (TfL) aims to resolve all Tube noise complaints as soon as possible. TfL has a specialist team of noise experts within its customer contact centre that logs residents’ complaints, keeps regular contact and updates them on how, and when, the issue is expected to be resolved.

TfL will continue to do all it possibly can to minimise noise and limit disruption to residents living above or close to the Tube

Question No: 2018/2800

Andrew Dismore

Please list the sites of outstanding tube noise complaints?

Written response from the Mayor

There are ongoing complaints at the following sites:

West Finchley to Finchley Central

Warren Street to Oxford Circus

Kennington Loop

Bethnal Green to Liverpool Street

Victoria to Pimlico

South Wimbledon to Morden

Walthamstow Central to Blackhorse Road

Baker Street to Bond Street

Wanstead to Leytonstone

Bond Street to Green Park

Camden Town to Euston

Golders Green to Hampstead

Kennington to Oval

Southfields to Wimbledon Park

Barbican to Moorgate

Vauxhall to Stockwell

Earl’s Court to High Street Kensington

Colliers Wood to South Wimbledon

Blackfriars to Temple

Highbury & Islington to King’s Cross

Oval to Stockwell

Finchley Central to East Finchley

Newbury Park to Gants Hill

Highgate to Archway

Finsbury Park to Highbury & Islington

Leyton to Stratford

Notting Hill Gate to Bayswater

Stockwell to Brixton

Woodside Park to West Finchley

Woodford to South Woodford

Turnpike Lane to Manor House

Mill Hill East to Finchley Central

Seven Sisters to Finsbury Park

Fulham Broadway to Parsons Green

Sloane Square to South Kensington

Marble Arch station

West Kensington to Baron’s Court

Harrow on the Hill to Northwick Park

Mile End to Bethnal Green

Clapham South to Balham

King’s Cross to Russel Square

Tottenham Court Road to Oxford Circus

Warren Street station

King’s Cross to Angel

Regent’s Park to Oxford Circus

Maida Vale to Warwick Avenue

Wimbledon Park to Wimbledon

King’s Cross to Farringdon

Archway to Tufnell Park

Camden Town to Mornington Crescent

Hillingdon to Uxbridge

Southgate to Arnos Grove

Finchley Road to Swiss Cottage

Mile End to Stepney Green

Victoria to Sloane Square

Tottenham Hale to Seven Sisters

White City to East Acton

Tooting Broadway to Colliers Wood

Northwood to Northwood Hills

North Harrow to Harrow on the Hill

Paddington to Edgware Road district

Kingsbury to Wembley Park

Gloucester Road to High Street Kensington

High Street Kensington to Notting Hill Gate

Question No: 2018/2801

Andrew Dismore

How long do you consider it reasonable for residents to wait for a valid tube noise complaint to be resolved?

Written response from the Mayor

Transport for London (TfL) aims to resolve all Tube noise complaints as soon as possible. TfL has a specialist team of noise experts within its customer contact centre that logs residents’ complaints, keeps regular contact and updates them on how, and when, the issue is expected to be resolved.

There are many sites across the London Underground network where, due to the age of the track infrastructure and current technology, it is not always possible to reduce the noise levels to the standards that residents would like.

TfL will continue to do all it possibly can to minimise noise and limit disruption to residents living above or close to the Tube.

Question No: 2018/2802

Andrew Dismore

For how long has the resident(s) with the longest outstanding valid tube noise complaint waited for it to be resolved?

Written response from the Mayor

Transport for London’s (TfL’s) longest ongoing complaint was received in November 2015 and relates to the Kennington Loop on the Northern Line. Track improvement works including joint removals were carried out in December 2016. TfL advises that it has further worked to resolve the issue but that at this site, the age of the track infrastructure and the limits of existing technology mean it has not been possible to reduce the noise levels to standards residents would like.

The issue has been raised at the Kennington Green Community Liaison Group, as part of TfL’s engagement on the Northern Line Extension project. TfL is in the process of setting up a further meeting with local residents to discuss the issue further.

Question No: 2018/2803

Andrew Dismore

What action, and when, is being taken to address the noise complaints of residents between Kentish Town and Tufnell Park living near the Northern Line, who have suffered from noise for well over a year?

Written response from the Mayor

Transport for London (TfL) installed vibration resilient track fastenings in this area in July 2017, which reduced noise at nearby properties (in some cases by over 10 decibels).

Any residents in this area – or elsewhere on the London Underground network – who suffer from an increase in Tube noise should contact the TfL Customer Service Centre, so their complaint can be fully investigated. This can be done by sending an email to customerservice@tfl.gov.uk

Question No: 2018/2804

Andrew Dismore

How much has Transport for London spent so far on tube noise remediation?

Written response from the Mayor

Transport for London (TfL) spends approximately £150 million on general rail track improvements every year, and much of this work results in reductions in rail noise.

Additionally, since 2016/17, TfL has had an annual £1 million budget for the development of bespoke rail noise reducing technology, such as resilient track fastenings.

Question No: 2018/2805

Andrew Dismore

It seems that the so called resilient track fixings to reduce noise, for which Transport for London say the lifespan is 10 years, may not last as long. It is known in Germany that they only last two years and some residents now have increasing noise levels again after only 9 months of the fixings. Will you look into whether these fixings are the best and most cost-effective way to reduce tube noise?

Written response from the Mayor

Transport for London (TfL) constantly reviews modern technology and works with suppliers and academia to ensure it is working with the best possible noise reducing equipment.

TfL has been installing resilient track fastenings for over two years and has not observed any increasing noise levels.

Question No: 2018/2806

Andrew Dismore

Bearing in mind the number of complaints about tube noise, from areas that have never before had a problem, are linked to Transport for London’s move from timber sleepers to concrete slabs, which are not proving maintenance free and are also one of the major causes of the increased noise levels, will you look again at this policy?

Written response from the Mayor

Transport for London’s (TfL’s) Deep Tube track renewals, which started in the mid 2000s and involved installing concrete sleepers, did lead to an increase in groundborne noise in some areas. TfL has since developed a much greater understanding of the causes of and solutions to noise and vibration.

Detailed consideration of noise and vibration now takes place prior to carrying out development of new rails. TfL has not installed concrete sleepers in Deep Tube tunnels for over three years.

Question No: 2018/2807

Andrew Dismore

In a previous answer on tube noise, you said ‘TfL continues to work alongside industry and academia to further understand noise and vibration and to trial new products and solutions.’ Please give further details of work being done in industry and academia on this; and bearing in mind that the noise has been caused in the main due to the shift to ‘new products’, i.e. concrete sleepers and flat profile rail, will you have a moratorium on the installation of concrete sleepers, until a proper solution to the noise generated is found?

Written response from the Mayor

As set out in my answer to Mayor’s Question 2018/2806, Transport for London (TfL) has not installed concrete sleepers in Deep Tube tunnels for over three years.

Currently, TfL is working with universities and suppliers to develop vibration reducing products and improve our knowledge of noise propagation. Outputs from these workstreams include rail dampening technology, which will be trialled next year. Other work in this field includes the use of resilient track fastenings for rails, and an improved understanding of groundborne vibration and the effect of basement excavations.

Question No: 2018/2808

Andrew Dismore

Do you think it is right that Transport for London (TfL) base their decisions on noise mitigation on their view that their drivers and fare-paying passengers, who may suffer a minimum additional period of inconvenience, should be prioritised over those residents that have a constant disbenefit, for example in Fitzrovia. Whilst TfL consider they have a solution to the problem (the Pandrol system), they are refusing to implement it due to tunnel noise affecting passengers?

Written response from the Mayor

Transport for London (TfL) is required to balance the interests of all groups affected by Tube noise, including local residents, customers and members of staff, and it is not the case that other groups are prioritised over local residents.

TfL continues to do all it possibly can to minimise Tube noise for residents. TfL recently carried out noise reduction work around Fitzrovia, and this work was completed in August 2018. This included replacing several rail fixings and, carrying out grouting to fill gaps between  sleepers. Rail grinding was also carried out on the northbound track to address a short patch of rail corrugation.

TfL is now investigating whether it is possible to extend the use of rail track fastenings in this area, and I have asked that TfL’s officers keep you updated on this work.

Question No: 2018/2809

Andrew Dismore

A constituent has reported to me that they tried to log a tube noise complaint with Transport for London (TfL). By phone, they eventually got through to the complaint number. They were kept waiting for 10 minutes and as soon as they were no 1 in the queue an officer spoke to them and immediately they were disconnected. They tried again and after hearing for most of 20 minutes that they were 3rd in the queue they gave up. Online, they found it very difficult to find the appropriate section to register the noise complaint. It keeps assuming the complaint refers to a journey. However, eventually they went along with this and registered the complaint but are not confident it was actually logged. Do you agree that TfL’s complaint system is clearly not a smooth one and needs to be made more user friendly?

Written response from the Mayor

Transport for London’s (TfL’s) website was amended in 2016 to make it easier for customers and residents to get in touch, with a link to a dedicated “Help & contacts” page displayed on TfL’s homepage.

Residents are able to choose a separate “Noise and Vibration” category when contacting TfL about a Tube related enquiry or complaint or get in touch with Customer Service Centre by telephone.

Since the start of 2018/19, the TfL Customer Service Centre has handled just under 150,000 calls, with an average wait time of under three minutes. Waiting times do vary depending on the time of day and will be longer during incidents such as service disruptions.

I have asked that TfL officers contact you to get further details about the constituent and ensure that their details have been logged correctly.

Question No: 2018/2810

Andrew Dismore

I have been trying to organise several site visits with Transport for London (TfL) for several months now to look at serious tube noise problems which have not been remediated despite lasting for a considerable time, in one case for over 2 years. All I get is a TfL run around. Will you instruct TfL to stop prevaricating on tube noise issues and set up such site visits as soon as possible?

Written response from the Mayor

I understand that you met with officers from Transport for London (TfL) and residents of Kentish Town in July 2018 to discuss Tube noise. I am also told that TfL has been in touch with your office and you are meeting next month near Finchley Central to discuss Tube noise.