FOI request detail

Metropolitan line signallers

Request ID: FOI-2812-2122
Date published: 29 March 2022

You asked

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2006 I require details of how many signallers you need to run the Met Line and how many were available on 09.03.2022.

We answered


TfL Ref: 2812-2122

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 9 March 2022 asking for information about how many signallers are needed to run the Metropolitan llne and how many were available on 09.03.2022 along with the contact details for Nick Dent, Director of Customer Operations.

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 the information you require.

Aside from the requisite staff in Hammersmith Service Control Centre, the Metropolitan line signalling is controlled by number of local cabins and control centres with minimum staffing requirements across these of 9 people.

In terms of maintaining a full service to and from Chesham all areas would need to be staffed with the exception of one of the signal cabins although it is possible to run a curtailed service in the event of certain cabin closures, subject to fleet availability.

We mitigate against closures in a number of ways including having spare duties available to step in and training our managers to be able operate the signal cabins. Every cabin and control room is different and it takes a number of weeks to qualify in each. 

To put the service suspension on Wednesday 9 March 2022 into context, both our early shift signaller at one of the cabins and our spare duty cover were unavailable.  A qualified signaller was dispatched from another cabin along with a manager to cover that cabin.  Unusually, the night turn signaller was unable to stay on for a short time to avoid a suspension of service. 

With regard to the final part of your request, we cannot release personal details of our employees, including email addresses due to TfL’s obligations under Data Protection legislation, and as required by section 40(2) of the FOI Act. Disclosure of this personal data would be a breach of the legislation, specifically the first principle 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’.

We have clear channels of communication and processes on how we handle requests from members of the public. Customers can contact us via the contact forms online here: https://tfl.gov.uk/help-and-contact/. These forms are designed to send correspondence to the correct department to deal with the issues raised. Our contact number - 0343 222 1234 -  is also provide on this page.


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


Sara Thomas
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London

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