Ultra Low Emissions within the London Underground system
Request ID: FOI-2043-2324 Date published: 02 October 2023
You asked
Please give me the information regarding ALL London Underground Stations and their subways.
Please give me information regarding ALL London and outer London busses within the ULEZ.
1. What air pollution tests are done and are they done at each station, at underground platform level also subways leading to platforms?
2. Is every station with TFL underground system tested?
3. How often are the tests carried out?
4. What are the acceptable levels for the stations to comply and who set those levels?
5. How many stations and their subways comply?
6. How many stations and their subways do not comply?
7. How many buses are electric and how many are diesel within the ULEZ?
8. Is there a penalty charge for those that do not comply with ULEZ regulations? If not, why not as polluting the air car drivers are being penalised for?
We answered
Our Ref: FOI-2043-2324
Thank you for your request received on 12 September 2023 asking for information about ultra-low emissions within the London Underground.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold the information you require. You asked for:
1. What air pollution tests are done and are they done at each station, at underground platform level also subways leading to platforms?
TfL employs the service of 4rail services to carry out independent network wide occupational exposure monitoring which consists of static and personal monitoring on 24 stations spread across the network and within the trains of all tube lines. The below reports available on our website provide the detailed reports on the measurements conducted by 4rail services. The 2023 measurements are currently being carried out, and the full report is to be published later this year: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/environment-reports 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 2. Is every station with TFL underground system tested? We carry out monitoring at 24 station locations across the network and within trains on all tube lines. All reports are available on our website at the link provided above. 3. How often are the tests carried out? We carry out monitoring on an annual basis. Since March 2023, track cleaning supervisors have carried out regular air quality monitoring from within the train saloons. This is done to inform targeted cleaning. 4. What are the acceptable levels for the stations to comply and who set those levels? TfL apply respirable dust limits for PM4.3 on the Tube which are set by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). HSE publishes regulatory limits for the workplace limits of both respirable and inhalable fractions. Our dust monitoring on the Tube focusses upon respirable dust because it is for this fraction that the most stringent regulatory limits are set. Regulatory limits are also set for inhalable dust and monitoring of this fraction increased in 2020. Our most recent round of dust monitoring included measurements of both inhalable and respirable fractions. The monitoring shows that dust levels are well below the HSE workplace exposure limits for general dust. We also meet the stricter requirements of the Institute of Occupational Medicine in most places (based on 8-hour average dust levels). 5. How many stations and their subways comply? As stated above, our monitoring has shown that dust levels on the Tube remain well below limits set by the HSE. We reduced in-station dust levels on the Tube by 19 per cent between 2020 and 2021, preliminary results show a further 11 per cent reduction between 2021 and 2023. This was achieved using a number of innovative new cleaning regimes, which are part of our multi-million pound Tube cleaning programme. Dust levels detected in drivers’ cabs have been reduced even further between 2020 and 2021 – by 37 per cent, and more up to date readings will be available soon. 6. How many stations and their subways do not comply? As above, our monitoring has shown that dust levels on the Tube remain well below occupational limits set by the HSE and on most of our network is below the recommendations from the Institute of Occupational Medicine, which are set significantly lower. All reports are available on our website: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/environment-reports 7. How many buses are electric and how many are diesel within the ULEZ? 8. Is there a penalty charge for those that do not comply with ULEZ regulations? If not, why not as polluting the air car drivers are being penalised for? In August we announced the 1000th zero emission bus in our fleet further helping to improve air quality. Diesel and hybrid buses make up around 86% of the bus fleet. There are approximately 3,700 diesel buses and 3,800 hybrid buses in the fleet – no matter the age of the bus, all diesel and hybrid buses meet the latest engine standard – Euro VI and are therefore all ULEZ compliant.
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
