Elizabeth Line cancellations on the evening of the 29th June
Request ID: FOI-1267-2324 Date published: 04 August 2023
You asked
FOI-0988-2324: Thank you for your reply and for sending information about the contracts with Network Rail.
Thank you also for the information about the cancellations on the evening of the 29th June. Unfortunately, this isn't quite the information I needed, and I'd like to provide further clarification about what my request relates to.
I would like to know why it was decided to cancel all services from Paddington to Reading / Maidenhead, between the hours of 17:00 and 18:00, on the 29th June.
Train drivers and rolling stock were clearly available - with many trains terminating at Paddington, and some going to Heathrow.
A decision was made, by the operator, not to run any of these trains to Reading / Maidenhead. I would like to know why this decision was made.
I await your response.
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-1267-2324
Thank you for your further request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 19th July 2023 asking for information about Elizabeth Line cancellations on the evening of the 29th June 2023.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act nd our information access policy.
Specifically you asked for the following, further to case reference FOI-0988-2324:
“Thank you also for the information about the cancellations on the evening of the 29th June. Unfortunately, this isn't quite the information I needed, and I'd like to provide further clarification about what my request relates to.
I would like to know why it was decided to cancel all services from Paddington to Reading / Maidenhead, between the hours of 17:00 and 18:00, on the 29th June.
Train drivers and rolling stock were clearly available - with many trains terminating at Paddington, and some going to Heathrow.
A decision was made, by the operator, not to run any of these trains to Reading / Maidenhead. I would like to know why this decision was made. “
I am afraid it is unclear what further, recorded information is now being requested - noting that the Freedom of Information Act covers the provision of recorded information, rather than the provision of explanation. It should be noted that the Elizabeth Line is operated by a private company - MTREL - under contract with TfL. In answer to your original request, we liaised with colleagues at MTREL who provided an explanation as to why delays had been experienced on 29th June 2023, along with an explanation as to the mitigating action subsequently taken. This was relayed to you as follows:
“Due to the complexity of the timetable, it took a number of hours to restore the service on all routes. Between 17:00 and 18:00 there were no Elizabeth line departures from Paddington towards Maidenhead or Reading (the previous Reading train departed from Paddington at 16.42). There were two departures from Ealing Broadway to Reading at 17.53 and 17.58. The first train from Paddington to Maidenhead was at 18.00, followed by a Paddington to Reading train at 18.15. Between 17.00 and 18.00 a limited service was operated to Heathrow Airport with departures as 17.03, 17.25. 17.33, 17.35, 17.55 (and also at 18.03 and 18.05). Services to Heathrow Airport were able to be restored slightly more quickly due to the location of the rolling stock and train drivers following the earlier incident.”
Following your latest request I have asked colleagues at MTREL if there is anything further they can say by way of explanation. In turn they have reviewed their control log and spoken to the MTREL Head of Control. MTREL tell me that they tried to recover the service as quickly as possible, but there were a number of displaced drivers and rolling stock. This is the reason for the cancellations, although they did manage to operate the following services between Paddington and Maidenhead / Reading:-
16:42 Paddington to Reading
17.53 Ealing Broadway to Reading
17.58 Ealing Broadway to Reading
18.00 Paddington to Maidenhead
18.15 Paddington to Reading
The full sequence of trains was as follows:-
16.42 Paddington to Reading operated
16.48 Paddington to Reading cancelled
16.54 Paddington to Terminal 4 terminated at Hayes & Harlington
17.00 Paddington to Maidenhead cancelled
17.03 Paddington to Terminal 5 operated
17.05 Paddington to Terminal 4 cancelled
17.15 Paddington to Reading cancelled
17.20 Paddington to Reading cancelled
17.25 Paddington to Terminal 4 operated
17.30 Paddington to Maidenhead cancelled
17.33 Paddington to Terminal 5 operated
17.35 Paddington to Terminal 4 operated
17.45 Paddington to Reading started from Ealing Broadway at 17.53
17.50 Paddington to Reading started from Ealing Broadway at 17.58
17.55 Paddington to Terminal 4 operated
18.00 Paddington to Maidenhead operated
18.03 Paddington to Terminal 5 operated
18.05 Paddington to Terminal 4 operated
18.15 Paddington to Reading operated
18.20 Paddington to Reading operated
TfL does not hold any further recorded information on the matter.
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
