Request ID: FOI-1938-2122 Date published: 24 December 2021
You asked
please would it be possible to see the asbestos report for Bond street station?
We answered
Our Ref: FOI-1938-2122
Thank you for your request received on 26 November 2021 asking for a copy of the asbestos report for Bond Street London Underground Station.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs) and our information access policy. I can confirm we do hold the information you require.
Please find the requested information attached.
In public areas the vast majority of Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) are contained behind station finishes and cannot be accessed by the general public. Where areas of ACMs interface with the general public they are in a position where they cause no risk to the general public or staff.
All stations accessed by the public and staff are re-inspected on a periodic basis to ensure that no adverse damage has been caused to change this status. If it is assessed and the status has changed for any reason, then a risk assessment is undertaken which will result in either encapsulation, encasement, or removal.
We have processes and procedures in place to ensure that the management of asbestos is carried out in compliance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.
Please note that we have redacted several station layout drawings contained in the attached as these diagrams contains information which could adversely affect national security or public safety (in line with regulation 12(5)(a) of the Environmental Information Regulations – which includes an exception to the release of material that would adversely affect the security of public buildings). The redacted information contains detailed diagrams showing the station layout and the location of and access into, non-public areas of the station and their release could place members of the public and TfL staff at risk by highlighting areas on the network which could be susceptible to being targeted by individuals intent on causing disruption or harm to the London Underground network.
In this instance the exception has been applied as disclosure of this information could assist any persons wishing to disrupt London’s transport infrastructure by placing into the public domain information which would otherwise not be available via other means. Whilst we make no suggestion that you would use this information for anything other than you own interest, disclosure of information under the EIR has to be regarded as a disclosure to the public at large.
The use of this exception is subject to an assessment of the public interest in relation to the disclosure of the information concerned.. While we appreciate the expectation of transparency from public bodies, in this instance we consider that the greater public interest rests in withholding the excepted material (which is relatively limited) to ensure the security of the site.
In addition, in accordance with our obligations under Data Protection legislation some personal data has been removed, as required by Regulation 13 of the EIRs. This is because disclosure of this personal data would be a breach of the legislation, specifically the first principle of Article 5 of the UK 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 exemption.
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.
Yours sincerely
Gemma Jacob Senior FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
