Thank you for your emails received by us on 27 May and 4 July 2017 asking for information about pest control on the London Underground network. I apologise for the delay in responding.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require. You asked for:

What was the cost of pest control on the underground for 2015/16? Ideally, broken down between the different lines.
What are the animals which are targeted?

The definition of ‘pests’ is potentially wide and could include anything from vermin, insects to invasive plant species, injurious weeds or tree pathogens. For the purposes of your request, we have assumed that pest control is restricted to control of mice, rats and pigeons.

We have several contracts that involve pest management across London Underground. The method of apportioning pest control costs varies according to the contract, as in some cases there is a specific contracted pest control service, whilst in other contracts, pest control is just one activity provided as part of a wider range of services for a larger contract fee. Additionally, a proportion of pest control in 2015/16 was also undertaken in-house.

We do not record these costs in accordance to individual lines; our expenditure for pest control on the London Underground network during 2015/6 was £1,088,484.92.

Details of their numbers, if these are kept.
How is pest control done (basically humane traps or not?)

We do not hold yearly figures on the number of pests. However, examples of various pest control activity provided under contract are as follows:

• Removal of dead vermin, for example mice, pigeons and so on
• Baiting for vermin;
• Cleaning pigeon guano;
• Removal of droppings etc;
• Repair of damaged pigeon netting, spikes etc;
• Spraying insecticide

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

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.

Yours sincerely

Jasmine Howard
FOI Case Officer
Information Governance
Transport For London