Our ref: FOI-0033-1718

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 4 April 2017 asking for information about injuries on London Underground.

Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold the information you require.

Please find attached the requested data. The data provided is for injuries to customers as a result of accidents at tube stations in the last three reporting periods (Periods 11, 12 and 13 of 2016/17). The number of passengers using any specific station should be considered when looking at the number of passenger incidents. Passenger count information is published on our website and can be found here: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/underground-services-performance#on-this-page-2

Incidents of our customers being injured getting on and off Tube trains are rare, with fewer than one incident in every four million journeys last year. In 2015/16, 1.35 billion passenger journeys were made across the Tube network, and a high level of safety was delivered as passenger numbers and services continued to grow, alongside a large infrastructure modernisation and rolling stock replacement investment programme The safety and welfare of all our customers and staff is always our top priority, and the Office of Rail and Road Regulation’s Health and Safety statistics indicate that the Tube is the safest big railway in Europe.

Nevertheless, we are not complacent and are working hard to address the causes of incidents, which can include distraction from use of smartphones, rushing and intoxication, to further minimise accidents and injuries. We do this by introducing flashing blue lights to draw attention to gaps between trains and platforms at key locations like Baker Street and investing heavily in adjusting platform edges to narrow gaps. All London Underground stations have staff on duty throughout traffic hours, CCTV coverage is extensive and customer help points are widespread. Signage near the platform edge (MIND THE GAP and yellow line), “Caution GAP” panels and frequent PA announcements all encourage customers to take care getting on and off trains, including by heeding the warnings as the doors start to close.

We will continue to explore and develop best practices and safety innovations for platforms with wide gaps through our work with the metro benchmarking group CoMET, a group of 17 of the largest metros from around the world.

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.

If you are not satisfied with this response please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

Yours sincerely

Graham Hurt

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London