Auto Not Permitted when staff are working on or about the track - Northern Line
Request ID: FOI-1347-2324 Date published: 23 August 2023
You asked
Dear Transport for London,
I understand that on the Northern Line (and possibly other lines), when you have staff working on or about the track it is the practice to implement auto not permitted and have train operators drive trains manually.
Whilst this is working practice, this is not listed as required in the rule books or line supplement and can reduce driver attentiveness to staff on or about the track as they instead focus on the target speed in the cab.
Can you tell me why this is the working practice? What agreements or instructions are your staff following when they implement auto not permitted for suitably licensed staff working on or about the track? Why is this not replicated on other lines where suitably licenced staff can work on or about the track with suitable protection arrangements (sighting time) in place?
Yours faithfully,
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-1347-2324 Thank you for your request received by Transport for London on27 July 2023 asking for information about train operations. 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. The use of Auto not Permitted (ANP) has been in use on Jubilee and Northern lines for a number of years. The use of ANP was removed from the Appendix to the Rule Book in 2016, however, it has continued to be used by these lines following Director agreement and as such has become custom and practice. Some lines do not have the ANP facility (Central line) and on the Circle, Hammersmith & City, District and Metropolitan lines, this has never been formally introduced. To ensure consistency across all lines, consultation is underway with the Trade Unions to remove this and require trains to operate in Automatic Train Operation (ATO), in response to trespass incidents or when staff are on or about the track to carry out a track search. If this is not the information you are looking for, please do not hesitate to contact me. Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal. Yours sincerely, Mary Abidakun FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
