Unavailability of step-free access due to faulty elevators at London Underground stations
Request ID: FOI-2185-1819
Date published: 19 December 2018
You asked
Dear Transport for London:
I am writing to make an open government request for all the information to which I am entitled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Please send me:
• A list of all London Underground stations without step-free access.
• A breakdown of how often and for how long step free access was unavailable at London Underground stations due to malfunctioning elevators in the past 12 months. Please specify the station, date, and how long step-free access was unavailable for in each instance.
I would like the above information to be provided to me electronically if possible.
If this request is too wide or unclear, I would be grateful if you could contact me as I understand that under the Act, you are required to advise and assist requesters. If any of this information is already in the public domain, please can you direct me to it, with page references and URLs if necessary.
If the release of any of this information is prohibited on the grounds of breach of confidence, I ask that you supply me with copies of the confidentiality agreement and remind you that information should not be treated as confidential if such an agreement has not been signed.
I understand that you are required to respond to my request within the 20 working days after you receive this letter. I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received this request.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
We answered
TfL Ref: 2185-1819
Thank you for your email received by us on 21 November 2018 asking for information about step-free access availability at London Underground stations.
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 information you require. You asked for:
• A list of all London Underground stations without step-free access.
• A breakdown of how often and for how long step free access was unavailable at London Underground stations due to malfunctioning elevators in the past 12 months. Please specify the station, date, and how long step-free access was unavailable for in each instance
We carry over 1.3bn customers on the London Underground each year. Like our other assets such as trains and track, we have a continual programme of maintenance and renewal for our lifts and escalators.
Our lifts get a routine maintenance check every two weeks, a full MOT every six months and a partial refurbishment every five years. Lifts must be fully replaced every 10 to 20 years, depending on the type.
Due to the nature of the work, replacement and refurbishment can take a number of months to complete. We are refurbishing and replacing lifts and escalators across the network to improve safety and your journeys
Escalator and lift replacement and refurbishment can be a lengthy process because of the size and difficulty of the task: Due to the nature of the work it can take a number of months to complete. We're always looking at ways to reduce disruption to customers while we undertake lift and escalator refurbishment and replacement. For example, we will sometimes replace more than one lift at a time to reduce the overall time they are unavailable.
TfL is investing in vital improvements to the transport network including making more stations fully accessible across London, such as Finsbury Park, Hanger Lane and Wimbledon Park - meaning that more than a third of the Tube network will be step-free by 2020. TfL has also recommended 21 London Overground and National Rail stations across London to receive Access for All funding from Government to improve connectivity for customers with accessibility needs
Please find attached the requested data; please note that where a ‘0’ appears in the column under the ‘minutes step free access was not available’ spreadsheet this refers to step-free access still being available at that particular station despite lift repairs taking place.
We also publish data on lift availability at https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/lift-availability and in the London Underground performance almanac via the following link to our website: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/underground-services-performance#on-this-page-0
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
Information Governance
Transport For London
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