Request ID: FOI-1065-2122 Date published: 10 September 2021
You asked
Dear Transport for London
I am writing to request information Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Please provide me with the following:
1) Noise Recording Reports for the entire Northern Line from the years 2016, 2017, 2020 and 2021.
2) The decibel readings before and after Pandrol Vanguard was installed on the Northern Line.
3) Locations of any Temporary Speed Restrictions in Pandrol Vanguard areas on the Northern Line.
I understand that under the Act I am entitled to a response within 20 working days of your receipt of this request. Some parts of the request may be easier to answer than others. Should this be the case, I request that you release information as soon as possible.
If my request is denied in whole or in part, I ask that you justify all deletions by reference to specific exemptions of the act.
I will also expect you to release all non-exempt material. I reserve the right to appeal your decision to withhold any information. If the release of any of this information is prohibited on the grounds of breach of confidence, I ask that you supply me with copies of the confidentiality agreement and remind you that information should not be treated as confidential if such an agreement has not been signed.
I would like to receive the information electronically. If you require any clarification, I expect you to contact me under your section 16 duty to provide advice and assistance if you find any aspect of this FOI request problematic. Please acknowledge receipt of this request, and I look forward to receiving the information in the near future.
Yours faithfully
We answered
TfL Ref: 1065-2122
Thank you for your request received by us on 15 August 2021 asking for information about noise recording reports and decibel readings taken from London Underground’s Northern line.
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:
Noise Recording Reports for the entire Northern Line from the years 2016, 2017, 2020 and 2021.
Whilst we do not have the requested data for 2016 or 2017, we do hold the publications for years 2018, 2019 and 2020, which are provided in the attached zip file.
In accordance with our obligations under Data Protection legislation some information in the attached reports has been withheld, as required by regulation 13 of the EIR. This is because disclosure of this personal data would be a breach of the legislation, specifically the first principle of Article 5 of the General Data Protection Regulation which requires all processing of personal data to be fair and lawful. It would not be fair to disclose this personal information when the individuals have no expectation it would be disclosed and TfL has not satisfied one of the conditions which would make the processing ‘fair’. This exemption to the right of access to information is an absolute exemption and not subject to an assessment of whether the public interest favours use of the regulation.
The decibel readings before and after Pandrol Vanguard was installed on the Northern Line.
We can advise that the noise levels recorded from the Train Operators’ cab for the Northern line are as follows:
2018 average of 75.9dB*
2019 average of 75.6dB
2020 average of 79.7dB
*Around 60% (1240 metres) of the Northern line Pandrol Vanguard was installed after the 2018 noise survey took place.
This could be used as an indicative before installation level.
Locations of any Temporary Speed Restrictions in Pandrol Vanguard areas on the Northern Line.
There are currently no Pandrol Vanguard areas with temporary speed restrictions on the Northern line.
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 FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
