Our ref: FOI-2568-2425

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 12 November 2024 asking for an asbestos survey.

Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations and our information access policy. 

I can confirm that we do hold the information you require. Please find attached the latest asbestos re-inspection report for the track section between High Barnet and Totteridge and Whetstone, together with photographs, as requested.  

In accordance with our obligations under Data Protection legislation some personal data has been removed, as required by regulation 13 of the EIR. This is because disclosure of this personal data would be a breach of the legislation, specifically the first principle of Article 5 of the UK General Data Protection Regulation which requires all processing of personal data to be fair and lawful. It would not be fair to disclose this personal information when the individuals have no expectation it would be disclosed and TfL has not satisfied one of the conditions which would make the processing ‘fair’.

This exemption to the right of access to information is an absolute exemption and not subject to an assessment of whether the public interest favours use of the exemption.

We have not undertaken any asbestos debris picks in this section of track. The reason being that there was only one isolated area where a small amount of debris was present and this would not present a significant risk of fibre release as it is in the form of asbestos cement, similar to that found on the roofs of numerous domestic and industrial premises.  

With regard to asbestos sheathed cables, although these are present along this track section and may not be encapsulated, it does not mean that they will release asbestos fibres. This is known to be true because extensive investigations have been undertaken on the potential for fibre release from various ACM’s, including asbestos braided cables, during disturbance, in order to assess the risk. The disturbance used in the investigation was to blast air at the ACM to simulate disturbance that may occur during train movements. The findings were that the risk of fibre release from ACM’s of this type was very low, even within the confines of a tube tunnel. Airborne fibre monitoring is routinely carried out during asbestos remedial work within our infrastructure and results are well below HSE applicable limits. In open sections background airborne fibre levels would be even lower so any ACM’s located on or near the track would not present a risk of exposure to either members of the public or London Underground staff.

If you are not satisfied with this response please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

Yours sincerely,

Tahsin Prima

FOI Case Officer

General Counsel

Transport for London