Request ID: FOI-2125-2223 Date published: 22 December 2022
You asked
I have been told that an evacuation exercise took place at Bank/Embankment station today (27/11/2022) which was the reason for the station closure.
How many customers (or staff acting as customers) took place in the evacuation?
How many mobility impaired customers (or actors) took place in the exercise?
How were wheelchair users or customers with buggies, heavy luggage, etc. safely evacuated without using escalators and stairs?
If you did not have any wheelchair users or visually impaired customers during today's trial, how can you ensure that these customers can be safely evacuated in case of a real emergency? Should the trial not be repeated involving mobility impaired customers?
What was the total cost of today's evacuation exercise, including paying overtime to staff acting as customers and taking into account the lost customer hours due to the station closure?
I would like to also request the recording of the airwave radio transmissions at Bank/Embankment stations between 11:30 and 13:00 on 27/11/2022. This is so I can have a better understanding of the way the exercise was conducted.
We answered
Our Ref: FOI-2125-2223
Thank you for your request received on 27 November 2022 asking for information about the evacuation exercise that took place at Bank Station on 27 November.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm we do hold the information you require. As part of the Bank Station Capacity Upgrade, the station will have a new entrance, new connecting passageways, a wider southbound Northern line platform, in addition to new escalators, moving walkways and lifts. In preparation for the new entrance, proposed new operating plans have been drawn up. The exercise held on 27 November 2022 between 11:00-13:00 was to validate and test the robustness of our proposed plans to safely manage evacuations and emergency situations within the new station entrance and upgrade. This exercise was also to validate both London Underground (LU) and KeolisAmey Docklands (KAD) /DLR operational processes and roles and responsibilities in operating a safe station. It was important for this exercise to be conducted to give us time to make any changes and amendments to our proposed plans before the opening of the new entrance / completed upgrade. The exercise was conducted in the middle of the day on a Sunday. This time was selected to inconvenience the fewest number of customers while balancing the need for volunteers. You asked: • How many customers (or staff acting as customers) took place in the evacuation? There were 35 volunteers for the exercise. • How many mobility impaired customers (or actors) took place in the exercise? • How were wheelchair users or customers with buggies, heavy luggage, etc. safely evacuated without using escalators and stairs? The site is still a construction site, therefore it was not possible to involve people with reduced mobility or visual impairments, people travelling with buggies, heavy luggage etc. • If you did not have any wheelchair users or visually impaired customers during today's trial, how can you ensure that these customers can be safely evacuated in case of a real emergency? Should the trial not be repeated involving mobility impaired customers? All our staff are fully briefed, prepared and trained in evacuating Persons with Reduced Mobility (PRMs) should it be necessary. The new lifts are pan-TfL lifts which are already in use at Bank/Monument station. • What was the total cost of today's evacuation exercise, including paying overtime to staff acting as customers and taking into account the lost customer hours due to the station closure? The cost for additional staff was £1,800. The estimated revenue lost for the planned closure was £37,418. The closure was also used to complete works to the DLR platform and concourse at the station. • I would like to also request the recording of the airwave radio transmissions at Bank/Embankment stations between 11:30 and 13:00 on 27/11/2022. This is so I can have a better understanding of the way the exercise was conducted. In accordance with the FOI Act, we are not obliged to supply the recordings you have requested as it is subject to statutory exemptions to the right of access to information, under Section 38(1)(b) of the Act. In this instance the exemption has been applied as disclosure of this information could adversely affect the safety and security of TfL employees and members of the general public. Whilst we make no suggestion that you would use this information for anything other than you own personal interest, disclosure of this information to you has to be regarded as a disclosure to ‘the public at large’. This information could potentially be obtained and utilised by individuals who may wish to use this information to cause disruption or harm to the London Underground network. The network is also part of the nation’s critical infrastructure by virtue of its central importance to the functioning of London and its economy. Disclosure of information could compromise security and safety preparedness on London Underground’s network and would place members of the public and TfL staff at risk. For example, it would give people knowledge of our transmissions and the format that they take. Similar ‘fake’ transmissions could then be recorded, which if broadcast, could jeopardise people’s safety. The use of this exemption is subject to an assessment of the public interest in relation to the disclosure of the information concerned. We recognise the need for openness and transparency by public authorities, but in this instance the public interest in applying the exemption, in order to minimise risks to operational resilience, safe operation of the London Underground network, the welfare of staff and members of the general public, outweighs the public interest in disclosure. If this is not the information you are looking for please feel free 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
