Request ID: FOI-4215-2324 Date published: 29 February 2024
You asked
Dear Transport for London,
This is a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. I would like to request the following information:
I understand TFL have commissioned two scientific studies - from King's College and Imperial College - to investigate air pollution levels on London's underground services. However, a full account of the air quality underground, including data about pollution levels at every station on each line have not been published.
I would like to request the most recent available data showing the pollution levels at every TFL station please.
I would like to receive the information electronically within 20 days of today's date (15/02/2024). If you think a substantiative response to this request is not possible within a reasonable timeframe, or the request is too broad or too vague, I would be grateful if you could contact me and provide assistance as to how I could refine the request.
We answered
TfL Ref: EIR-4215-2324 Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 15th February 2024 asking for information about air quality on the London Underground. Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) and our information access policy. Specifically you asked: “I understand TFL have commissioned two scientific studies - from King's College and Imperial College - to investigate air pollution levels on London's underground services. However, a full account of the air quality underground, including data about pollution levels at every station on each line have not been published. I would like to request the most recent available data showing the pollution levels at every TFL station please.” I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require. With reference to your opening comment, please note TfL has commissioned a study with Imperial College London only, not King’s College. TfL does not undertake monitoring at every London Underground station on the network. Rather, there are 24 stations that we monitor on an annual basis through the independent monitoring service, 4Rail Services. The latest reports for these stations for 2023 were published on 9th February 2024 and can be found on the following page of our website: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/environment-reports Our independent monitoring continues to show that dust levels on the Underground network remain within the limits set by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Dust levels have been reduced by 19 per cent on average across the 24 stations we have monitored since 2020. Additionally, for the 12 stations where measurements have been carried out over a longer period, we have seen dust levels reduce by 30 per cent since 2019.
Since 2021, we have also seen dust levels reduce by a further two per cent in the driver’s cab. This means that since 2019 we have seen an overall drop of 27 per cent. We are focused on reducing dust levels at source on the network to improve the quality of air on the network, through cleaning, monitoring, trials of new innovations to tackle dust. We are looking at ways to reduce overall levels of dust across the network to improve air quality. We have undertaken a range of innovative cleaning initiatives to identify effective methods for reducing dust particles. These initiatives include trialling industrial back-pack vacuum cleaners, specialist equipment that catches dust as it is produced during construction, and the use of more battery operated tools to reduce fumes. Our current tunnel and track cleaning programme includes deep Tube and sub-surface cleaning of tunnels, as well as measures such as track litter picking and station sweeps. At least 130km of Air Quality focused and targeted cleaning per year to remove Tube dust is undertaken (40 per cent of a total network of 330km of tunnels). More information can be found on our website here: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/improving-air-quality-on-the-tube 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, David Wells FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
