Has TfL been consulted by either Lambeth Council, Lovebox Festival (owned by MAMA group) or Field Day festival on proposals to host festival events with anticipated party crowds of over 100,000 in Brockwell Park on the weekends of 2/3rd June (Field Day) & 13/14th July (Lovebox)? If so when was TfL approached by each of these organisations Lambeth Council, Lovebox, MAMA group & Field Day? WouldTfL normally expect to be consulted on events of this scale taking place within the local area? Is the local infrastructure your service utilizes & maintains e.g. Brixton tube & Herne Hill train station adequate to meet the needs of this number of visitors? Would your TfL be able to adequately & safely meet the needs of over 100,000 revellers concentrated into an urban park & residential area? What would be the cost to your service of ensuring that the safety & welfare of visitors & residents is maintained during these large events?

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Our ref: FOI-2603-1718/GH

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 9 December 2017 asking for information about major events in Brockwell Park.

Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold the information you require.

Has TfL been consulted by either Lambeth Council, Lovebox Festival (owned by MAMA group) or Field Day festival on proposals to host festival events with anticipated party crowds of over 100,000 in Brockwell Park on the weekends of  2/3rd June (Field Day) & 13/14th July (Lovebox)?

In a city as complex as London there are frequent special events which have the potential to have an impact on transport. We consider all events that could affect our customers’ journeys, and work with organisers and the local authority to plan for these events and keep disruption to a minimum.

Lambeth Council provided a heads up of dates of proposed events, and we will attend future planning meetings hosted by the local authority with key stakeholders to ensure a safe and efficient transport plan is put in place.

If so when was TfL approached by each of these organisations Lambeth Council, Lovebox, MAMA group & Field Day?

London Underground will attend planning meetings with the local authority, the event organiser, other transport providers and emergency services in the coming weeks to talk through proposals and requirements.

Would TfL normally expect to be consulted on events of this scale taking place within the local area?

We would expect to understand where the event organiser plans to move customers before and after the event.  If the organiser plans to use LU stations where the volume of customers requires special arrangements to be put in place, there would be expectation that the event organiser would put in place a managed queuing system to ensure the safe and efficient movement of all users of the station.

Is the local infrastructure your service utilizes & maintains e.g. Brixton tube & Herne Hill train station adequate to meet the needs of this number of visitors?

Whilst stations are not specifically designed to operate on a full time basis with the volume of customers that use them during major events, we work with event organisers, the local authority, other transport operators, the British Transport Police (BTP) and Metropolitan Police to ensure crowd control measures (i.e. managed queueing systems) are put in place to ensure the safe and comfortable movement of our customers.

Would your TfL be able to adequately & safely meet the needs of over 100,000 revellers concentrated into an urban park & residential area?

The capacity of events are not licensed as high as 100,000.  Expected attendances for the events taking place in 2018 are as follows:  Lovebox – 40,000 per day; Field Day / The Mightly Hoopla – 30,000 per day; Brockwell Fireworks – 30,000 and the Lambeth Country Show attracting around 80,000 per day.  Last year, ticketing data suggests that approximately as many as 14,000 per day used Brixton station for the Lambeth County Show and only approximately 3,000 for the Lambeth Fireworks display.  These numbers will be lower and more manageable for two reasons; (a) a lot of users are local and will not be using the Tube before or after the event; and (b) the events do not finish at a set time therefore crowds don’t all leave the grounds and attempt to access transport at the same time. 

We have a proven track record of ensuring systems are in place to allow customers to flow through stations safely and quickly.  We implement service changes to help events run smoothly and provide advance information to enable our customers to plan their journeys.

What would be the cost to your service of ensuring that the safety & welfare of visitors & residents is maintained during these large events?

The only cost that London Underground would be responsible for is for additional staff, if required.  All costs relating to the queuing system, stewarding and wayfinding are picked up by the event organiser. 

If this is not the information you are looking for please do not hesitate to contact me.

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

Yours sincerely

Graham Hurt

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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