Request ID: FOI-2973-2223 Date published: 14 March 2023
You asked
1. The dates and locations of every out-of-service lift from the last three years in all tube, DLR, Elizabeth line and London Overground stations, separated by year.
2. The amount of time (in hours, days, and weeks) that passed before each lift was fixed and running again.
We answered
Our Ref: FOI-2973-2223
Thank you for your request received on 14 February 2023 asking for information about out of service lifts.
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 do hold the information you require.
As stated in our previous response, like all of our assets such as trains and track, we have a continual programme of maintenance and renewal of our lifts and escalators across our networks to ensure they are reliable and safe to use for our customers. Our lifts receive a routine maintenance check every two weeks, a full MOT every six months, and a partial refurbishment every five years. Lifts are due to be fully replaced every 10 to 20 years, depending on the type of machine. Due to the nature of the work and confined working space, replacement and refurbishment can take a number of months to complete.
Escalator and lift replacement and refurbishment works can be a lengthy process due to the size and difficulty of the task. We continue to look at ways to reduce the amount of disruption to our customers while we undertake lift and escalator works. For example, we will sometimes replace more than one lift at a time (when resources permit) to reduce the overall time they are unavailable when removing one lift makes the other asset redundant. We also continue to invest in vital improvements to the transport network including making more stations fully accessible across London.
When a lift is out of service station staff will take the following actions:
• Station staff notify the London Underground Control Centre (LUCC) – they aim to publish the information on the TfL website within five minutes of being notified • Display a poster explaining that the lift is out of service and to provide alternative onward travel advice to the customer if required • Inform adjacent stations to the station affected (for step-free stations this would be the closest alternative step-free stations) • Display the information on the train operators’ boards so that on-train announcements can be made advising customers of alternative routes • Use general information boards to inform customers a lift is out of service to enable them to take alternative routes
We will try to reinstate the lift as soon as possible.
Please find the requested information attached. As previously advised, information for the DLR has been provided by financial period as this is how the information is recorded.
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some reason, please feel free to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely
Gemma Jacob Senior FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
