Could you please send me information about the relationship between the speed of the tube trains and the noise they make? I’m interested in the part of the Jubilee line around Bond Street and Baker Street where the noise inside the train is now ear splitting. Many passengers put their fingers in their ears because it is so loud and painful. We can’t read or do work when we’ve got our fingers like that. I learnt from a helpful call with your customer relations team that the recent increase in noise in that area is due to putting rubber under the track, to prevent the vibrations going through the earth and bothering residents above ground. But the noise has to go somewhere and now it goes into the tunnels and the trains themselves. It seems clear to me that the only remedy is to slow down the trains. The internal noise is less during rush hour. What is the point of shaving off a few minutes of travel time if we’re all deafened and the ride is so much more unpleasant? So I would like you to send me information about the relationship between noise and the speed of the trains on this line, please. I would also like information about your policy making, where you must balance the speed of the service against problems it brings, eg noise. I’m sure most people would prefer a slightly slower ride that is quieter. The noise is worst outside rush hour, when the trains go faster. It’s great to be able to get home late by tube, or to go early to work. But I’d be happier doing those trips more slowly.

---

Our ref: FOI-1690-1819/GH

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 15 September 2018 asking for information about the relationship between the speed of the tube trains and the noise they make.

Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations and our information access policy.

As you mentioned, the high pitch noise experienced on certain sections of the London Underground network is due to the installation of resilient track fastenings. These fastenings reduce the groundborne vibration suffered by residents who live close to the tube tunnel, but they have also led to an increase in in-tunnel noise. We are working proactively to reduce this in-tunnel noise, and will be installing addition under-rail pads at high noise sites (including nearby Baker Street and Bond Street) from December 2018.

Regarding the relationship between speed and noise, a reduction in speed generally leads to a reduction in noise. Reducing the kinetic energy in turn reduces the vibrational energy, and therefore sound. However, slower trains means the time passengers are exposed to noise is longer. It is also not practicable to reduce the speed of trains on most of our network; we run a high frequency train service which needs to move millions of Londoners every day. This is why we are implementing noise reducing solutions which enable trains to run at full speed and keep London moving.

We do regularly monitor in-tunnel noise and the attached chart shows analysis of the results of the noise measurements inside the Jubilee line train operator’s cab traveling on the Northbound Road between Green Park (GRP) and Saint John’s Wood (SJW). The results are average noise levels based on measurements taken over 3 runs. As you will see the noise levels have reduced, particularly between Bond Street (BOS) to Baker Street (BAS), since the previous set of measurements taken at the end of July 2018.  

  

Under Freedom of Information and Environmental Information Regulations we are only able to provide you with information which is held at the time of your request.

If you are not satisfied with this response please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

Yours sincerely

Graham Hurt

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

Attachments

Back to top

---