Request ID: FOI-3008-2223 Date published: 08 March 2023
You asked
05/08/2021 - I would like to ask which stations on the day of the incident were closed. To define closed " Were there stations closed to the public, where public were prevented from entering the station from the main entrance. Were there stations closed to the public, where the public were prevented from leaving the trains at stations." In relation to both which stations were closed and during which times? Having been on the train, we were not prevented from leaving at any station!
In relation to the incidents I have seen on twitter. I have now seen 4 such instances posted by the Fire Brigade, after the incident I was caught up in, where the trains were stopped in the stations and prevented from going further while the London Fire Brigade searched for the fire/cause of smoke. So from this I understand that these are the correct procedures and the procedures on the day of the incident I was involved in were incorrect. Can you confirm this to be the case? I would appreciate it if you could provide me with a copy of the appropriate procedures.
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-3008-2223
Thank you for your request received by us on 2023 asking for a copy of LU’s incident response procedure and which stations were closed on 5 August 2021. 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. You specifically asked:
I would like to ask which stations on the day of the incident were closed. To define closed " Were there stations closed to the public, where public were prevented from entering the station from the main entrance. Were there stations closed to the public, where the public were prevented from leaving the trains at stations." In relation to both which stations were closed and during which times? Having been on the train, we were not prevented from leaving at any station!
Please see the table below for a list of station closures and the times they were closed on 5 August 2021.
Station
Time of the closure
Borough
22:35 – 23:05
Embankment
All day
Bermondsey
05:30 - 6:58
Chancery Lane
05:30 - 06:50
In relation to the incidents I have seen on twitter. I have now seen 4 such instances posted by the Fire Brigade, after the incident I was caught up in, where the trains were stopped in the stations and prevented from going further while the London Fire Brigade searched for the fire/cause of smoke. So from this I understand that these are the correct procedures and the procedures on the day of the incident I was involved in were incorrect. Can you confirm this to be the case? I would appreciate it if you could provide me with a copy of the appropriate procedures. All incidents are managed in line with the London Underground Rule books. Where incidents occur outside of these, dynamic risk assessments are carried out by the Service Manager and if necessary the Senior Operating Officer. The Rule books detail various rules, instructions, protocols and procedures which LU operational staff are governed by. However, I am afraid that they are exempt from disclosure under sections 24 (National Security) and 38 (Health and Safety) of the Freedom of Information Act. The rationale for this is explained in more detail in this published response on the transparency pages of the TfL website. The procedure for smoke as a result of fire will vary from smoke owing to brake dust, so this may explain the variance you saw on Twitter in how incidents were managed.
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
Eva Hextall FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
