TfL Ref: FOI-2492-1617

Thank you for your email received by us on 13 March 2017 asking for information about closures at Oxford Circus tube station.

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 hold the information you require.

Please find attached information about full and partial closures at Oxford Circus tube station, from 1 January 2016 to date.

We recognise that Oxford Circus can get very busy. Our staff carefully manage the flows of customers at the station to ensure a safe travel environment and minimum inconvenience for customers. There are a number of initiatives under way that will assist in reducing crowding at the station – the station upgrade at Tottenham Court Road recently finished, while the work at Bond Street will be completed later this year. When both stations have been upgraded we expect that some customers who currently use Oxford Circus will choose to use these other stations. Further ahead, the Elizabeth line will open in 2019 from Bond Street, improving the capacity of the Oxford Street area and moving demand away from Oxford Circus.

A partial closure may involve non-stopping on one or more platforms/lines within the station and/or some entrances being temporarily closed. This essentially means keeping the station open whilst managing the flow of customers to maintain a safe and reliable service. This would usually be implemented to prevent any overcrowding on platforms and escalators etc.

A full closure is when all lines non-stop and all entrances are closed to customers. This essentially means completely clearing the station of customers in order to manage any safety related incidents. This does not usually occur when managing passenger flow as our staff are experienced in using other measures, but safety is our top priority and therefore a full closure for this reason cannot be ruled out in future.

The key issue with closures at Oxford Circus is the interchange between Central and Victoria lines. All people changing from the Central line to the Victoria or Bakerloo lines have to walk the same way, whilst people entering the platform from street level are walking in the opposite direction. People also congregate at the end of the platform blocking the interchange to the Victoria and Bakerloo line. Station staff are well aware of these issues and actively try and encourage people to move along the platform during peak hours. A one way system is typically implemented each day at Oxford Circus from 16:30 until after the evening peak to manage the flow of people through the station.

The staff at Oxford Circus are experienced in managing the number of passengers they see on a daily basis and monitor the passenger flow from within the station every day.

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some 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,

Melissa Nichols

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London