Service failures between due to Network Rail track between Turnham Green/South Acton and Richmond 2015 to 2021
Request ID: FOI-1259-2122 Date published: 29 September 2021
You asked
I have been commuting between Kew Gardens station and Northwood for over six years. It seems to me that the section of track between Turnham Green/South Acton and Richmond fails more frequently than is reasonable and when it does it adds at least an hour to my and many other commuters’ journies trying to get around it which is often quite difficult.
I chatted to one of the station staff at Kew last week and she explained that it is Network Rail that owns the track on this section and so TfL is powerless to do the fixing in its characteristically speedy manner.
Therefore, in order to make a representation to my local MP in order to bring pressure on Network Rail to sort this out properly, – because something is so clearly quite wrong; I commute for more than three hours daily and this is the only section that keeps failing in this way – I would like to ask for the following information if it is possible to compile it in a meaningful way.
1) Please could you let me have a list of the incidents with dates of track failure that has stopped underground and overground services between Richmond and Turnham Green/South Acton from 2015 to 2021
2) Please could I have a map of the TfL train network over the period 2015 to 2021 showing the incidents of track failure so that I can use it to compare the failures of the Richmond section to the rest.
If it seems that a different set of data would suit my purpose, then I am open to suggestion. My aim is to try and bring about relief for both commuters like myself and TfL staff who also have to suffer these disruptions.
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-1259-2122
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 11th September 2021 asking for information about services between Turnham Green/South Acton and Richmond.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.
Specifically you asked:
“1) Please could you let me have a list of the incidents with dates of track failure that has stopped underground and overground services between Richmond and Turnham Green/South Acton from 2015 to 2021
2) Please could I have a map of the TfL train network over the period 2015 to 2021 showing the incidents of track failure so that I can use it to compare the failures of the Richmond section to the rest.
I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require. In answer to your first question, the two spreadhseets attached show incidents of track/signal failure between Richmond and Turnham Green / South Acton for the specified period for (a) the London Underground and (b) the London Overground (you may need to expand the width of some columns to read the data in full). Note that the location given may not reflect the actual location of the issue, but instead the location where the particular service was impacted. The information has been sourced separately from London Underground and London Overground (which is operated by Arriva Rail London Limited under a concession agreement with TfL) hence the different formats.
In relation to your second question, TfL does not hold any such maps (note that the FOI Act relates to recorded information held at the time the request is made only - there is no obligation to generate new information to respond to a request).
It is possible that Network Rail may hold further information that is of use to you. Details of how to make FOI requests to Network Rail can be found on its website here:
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,
David Wells FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
