TfL Ref: FOI-2043-1617

Thank you for your email received by us on 20 January 2017 asking for information about the Mind the Gap announcements. Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding to your request.

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. You asked:

How many London Underground Stations have Mind the Gap announcements? And which are they ?
How many have Mind the Gap markings on their platforms ?
Please provide a list to the extent that these differ from those with announcements.
How many stations have an announcement at the station ie on the platform as opposed to on the train itself ?
How many have an announcement on the train itself?
Lists where appropriate please.

‘Mind the gap’ is a commonly used phrase on the London Underground. As the phrase is used across various different forms of announcements it is impossible to provide a precise answer to your questions. However, based upon the available data that we have, we can estimate that the phrase is used at least 200,000 times per day. This is calculated from the number of times it is used in pre-recorded train and platform announcements and the number of trains running throughout the day. The figure also takes into account an estimate for the number of times ‘mind the gap’ is used by TfL staff during platform announcements.

In addition, please find attached a Station Premises Standard, sections 3.5 and 3.6 of this document details the requirements for visual and audible warnings when there are gaps on the platform.

The "please mind the gap between the train and the platform" is programmed to play for platforms with defined bigger gaps. In some cases not all platforms at a station in the given direction have the bigger gap and the announcement system cannot know in advance which of multiple platforms a train will go to.

The sites currently programmed to give the announcement are listed below:

Chesham – on arrival
Rickmansworth – both directions
Ickenham – eastbound only
Ruislip – eastbound only
Eastcote – eastbound only
Rayners Lane – eastbound only
West Harrow – both directions
Northwick Park – northbound only
Wembley Park – both directions
Finchley Road – both directions
Baker Street – both directions with Met line and H&C trains and Circle (EB only) (to allow for S7 trains going to the Met line platforms at start or finish, associated with stabling at Neasden depot.
Great Portland Street – both directions
King’s Cross St. Pancras – both directions
Farringdon – both directions
Moorgate – eastbound only
Liverpool Street – both directions
Aldgate – Met line on arrival and Circle both directions
Ladbroke Grove – both directions
Westbourne Park – eastbound only
Royal Oak – westbound only
Paddington (H&C) – both directions
Edgware Road – both directions
Paddington (Circle & District) – both directions
Notting Hill Gate – eastbound only
High Street Kensington – eastbound only
Ealing Broadway – on arrival
Ealing Common – both directions
Acton Town – both directions
Chiswick Park – both directions
Stamford Brook – both directions
Ravenscourt Park – both directions
Hammersmith (District) – both directions
Barons Court – both directions
West Kensington – eastbound only
Richmond – on arrival
Kew Gardens – both directions
Gunnersbury – both directions
Wimbledon Park – both directions
East Putney – both directions
Putney Bridge – both directions (but westbound announcement due to be deleted due to new platform with smaller gaps)
Parsons Green – eastbound only
West Brompton – both directions
Olympia – on arrival
Earl’s Court – eastbound only
South Kensington – westbound only
Sloane Square – both directions
Victoria – both directions
St. James’s Park – both directions
Westminster – westbound only
Temple – eastbound only
Blackfriars –westbound only
Mansion House – both directions
Cannon Street – both directions
Monument – both directions
Tower Hill – both directions
Whitechapel – westbound only
Bow Road – both directions
Bromley-by-Bow westbound only
Plaistow - both directions
Barking – eastbound only
Upney –eastbound only
Dagenham Heathway – eastbound only
Dagenham East – both directions
Elm Park – eastbound only
Upminster Bridge – eastbound only
Upminster – on arrival

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 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

Paulina Tuffour
FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London