Pest control measure at Clapton.
Request ID: FOI-2865-1718
Date published: 31 January 2018
You asked
Let me attempt to address your points about the Pest control measure at Clapton. The facts to which you refer were presented on site by whom? What stakeholders? Please let me have a copy of the report (this request is made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000). This directly contradicts the account given to me by contractors installing the spike, who told me they had called and requested the go-ahead to install additional spikes but were refused.
I trust the report you send me will support the theory of 'overnight roosting'. It would appear no one asked the pigeons!
The belief on which you have based this work is flawed and I believe there has been an error of judgement here. It also undermines your stated aim to "ensure efficient use of the public purse". The contractors were already on site, and had enough material with them to install more spikes, but were denied permission (just breathtaking). It seems unlikely that this action would have incurred any significant additional cost, if any at all. If you'd like empirical evidence of how ineffective the action as been, please visit the site yourself, or refer to the images I took yesterday morning and this morning, attached.
We answered
Our Ref: FOI-2865-1718
Thank you for your request received on 9 January 2018 asking for information about pest control measures at Clapton.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) and TfL’s information access policy.
Unfortunately we do not hold the information you have requested as no report was created. Responsibility for cleaning the station lies with Arriva Rail Limited (ARL) as the Station Operator. ARL clean/remove guano from areas which are accessible to the public on a cyclical basis. Areas which require areas be cordoned off are planned around access availability and coordinated with other works. The TfL Project Delivery Team responsible for the station improvement works requested whether the TfL Infrastructure Maintenance team or ARL, could install pigeon spikes.
We reviewed the location and identified the asset (Bridge and Abutment) on which the pigeons were sitting on belonged to Network Rail and is therefore outside of our remit. We suggested our Project Delivery Team install spikes under their station improvement remit.
We became aware from further feedback, that the issue had not been resolved and we carried out further investigations in order to determine what remedial action was required. Station Cleaning Staff commented that the issue was prevalent only on the customer benches and that these did require regular attention.
The following was observed during the site visit:
• Pigeons roosting on the abutment wall
• Guano on the wall
• The Station Platform Boundary Wall, Overbridge, Track and Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) infrastructure are assets all belonging to Network Rail (NR)
• Lineblock (no trains running) would be required to work next to the track
• Isolation (power off) would be required to work near the OLE
Following the site visit it was concluded that spikes should be installed on the abutment wall and on the girder leading edge. This conclusion was based on:
• There is evidence of where the pigeons were roosting and the install targeted the areas of concern
• Installation of pigeon spikes to the identified areas is possible within station opening hours and causes minimal disruption to the travelling public
• Installation of pigeon spikes to other areas under the Platform 2 bridge would requires considerable time to secure and would be a high-cost option but to the require lineblock and isolation of OLE equipment
• Lineblocks / OLE isolations typically arise due to other more significant maintenance or track-related works. Such opportunities can be used without adding significant additional cost to otherwise low-cost works.
• Regular inspections would determine whether further preventions would be required, which then would be planned when opportunities arose to coordinate with lineblocks/isolations/other works.
With regard to the account given by contractors installing the spike, our contactor was on site in December but there was no call made to TfL requesting “the go-ahead to install additional spikes”. We have spoken with the Contractors Management Team who confirm they did not call TfL requesting this.
Please accept our apologies that we are unable to assist you further on this occasion. If this issue continues to be a problem please contact our Customer Services team.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely
Gemma Jacob
FOI Case Officer
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London
[email protected]
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