Never Ending Planned Engineering Work on the Metropolitan Line
Request ID: FOI-0557-2122 Date published: 28 June 2021
You asked
In the last ten years, how many times has a part or the whole of the Metropolitan Line been closed for "Planned Engineering Work".
You may call it planned engineering work, others would call it "Failing to provide a service"
We answered
TfL Ref: 0557-2122
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 19 June 2021 asking for information about planned engineering works on the Metropolitan Line over the last ten years.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold the information you require.
Closures for engineering works are vital for the maintenance and upgrade of the network. The Metropolitan Line is also part of the current “Four Lines Modernisation” project (4LM). This will see obsolete equipment, dating back to the 1920s in some places, replaced with modern, computerised signalling and control systems, as well as a new fleet of air-conditioned trains, faster journeys and reduced waiting times. More information about the project and its benefits can be found on our website here: https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/improvements-and-projects/four-lines-modernisation.
Below is a summary of weekend closures since 2011 on the Metropolitan line. Aside from the items in the ‘Notes’ column there were no weekday closures.
The data in the ‘Closures’ column represents how many weekends had a closure in that year; the closure limits vary each weekend and sometimes within the same weekend. So for example, in 2011, there were 21 weekends of Metropolitan line closures which would consist of a variety of limits (Baker Street to Aldgate closed, Wembley Park to Aldgate closed etc.).
Year
Closures
Notes
2011
21
2012
17
2013
20
2014
21
Also Ruislip to Uxbridge on the weekdays from 21st July until 11th Aug
2015
13
2016
15
Also Mon-Wed Aldgate to Wembley Park from 22:00 16th May 2016 - 20th Dec 2018
2017
14
Also 6x Aldgate to Wembley Park until 09:00 and after 21:00 Sunday
2018
17
Also 13x Aldgate to Wembley Park until 09:00 and after 21:00 Sunday
2019
15
2020
9
2021
7
Up until July
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
Sara Thomas FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
