EIR Underground tube station air quality and content tests
Request ID: FOI-2020-2324 Date published: 03 October 2023
You asked
This an Environmental Information Request. Please confirm, the frequency, where, when, how and what equipment you use to test the air quality and content is at ALL tube stations at sub-surface platform level ? I need to use the Tube to cross London regularly and suffering from breathing difficulties, I want to do so with as little air pollution as possible. Many thanks
We answered
TfL Ref: 2020-2324 Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 11 September 2023 asking for information about air quality on the Tube. Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold the information you require. You asked for: the frequency, where, when, how and what equipment you use to test the air quality and content is at ALL tube stations at sub-surface platform level ? I need to use the Tube to cross London regularly and suffering from breathing difficulties, I want to do so with as little air pollution as possible. TfL employs the service of environmental and materials testing company, 4rail Services, to implement independent network wide occupational exposure monitoring that consists of static and personal monitoring of 24 stations spread across the network and within the trains of all our tube services. These reports are featured on TfL’s webpages and provide detailed research on the measurements conducted by 4rail Services. As the measurements for 2023 are currently being implemented, we can advise that the full report is to be published this Autumn via the link to our website here: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/environment-reports Previous reports are also available by the links below to our website: December 2018 - https://content.tfl.gov.uk/simulated-passenger-journeys-2019.pdf April 2019 - https://content.tfl.gov.uk/dust-monitoring-april-2019.pdf February 2020 - https://content.tfl.gov.uk/dust-monitoring-february-2020.pdf October 2021 - https://content.tfl.gov.uk/train-operator-dust-monitoring.pdf https://content.tfl.gov.uk/dust-monitoring-lu-stations.pdf Despite being within the limits set by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the quality of air on the London Underground is a key area of focus and we will continue to ensure a safe working environment for our colleagues and customers. We have put in place targeted cleaning at locations where our monitoring has shown higher dust levels, and we are taking a threefold approach to tackling Tube dust on our network by commissioning world-leading research, carrying out extensive cleaning and monitoring, and exploring the latest innovations. 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 Jasmine Howard FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
