all data that affects the District Line reliability going back over the past 5 years with particular attention to peak hours (morning 6-8:30am) and evening (5-8pm) that could affect a journey to/from Kew Gardens and Central London (for example Temple Station as a reference point). In doing so I would therefore with some humility be able to validate (or not) whether my imagined concern about the frequency and extent of the issue has basis or not. I also ask if it is at all possible to get some clarity as to why 'signal issues' are so prevalent on the District Line at these two loci, whether there is a formal plan in place to address them, what that plan is and by when we could expect it to yield positive results in terms of reliability.

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TfL Ref: FOI-4520-1718

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 13 February 2018 asking for information about the District line.

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. You asked for:

1. All data that affects the District Line reliability going back over the past 5 years with particular attention to peak hours (morning 6-8:30am) and evening (5-8pm) that could affect my journey to/from Kew Gardens and Central London (for which I am happy to take Temple Station as a reference point). In doing so I would therefore with some humility be able to validate (or not) whether my imagined concern about the frequency and extent of the issue has basis or not.

    

    

   Please see the tables below containing the information you have requested split by date, times and specific areas of the line. For the avoidance of doubt, the first table provides information on all incidents causing delay (excluding industrial action (IA)) and the fourth table provides this information specifically for signal failures, including Network Rail failures that impact the District line.

    

    

    

    

    

2. Ask if it is at all possible to get some clarity as to why 'signal issues' are so prevalent on the District Line at these two loci, whether there is a formal plan in place to address them, what that plan is and by when we could expect it to yield positive results in terms of reliability.

We are acutely aware of the inconvenience caused to you and our other customers by the recent signal failures on the Richmond Branch of the District Line, which has also impacted our London Overground customers. The infrastructure is owned by Network Rail and we have been working with them over the last few weeks on a plan to remedy the situation. 

The problem has been traced to the track’s circuit state.  To address this, Network Rail are working with us on a number of fixes including:

1. Double bonding for signal rails
2. Double bonding for traction rails
3. Upgrading transmitters and receivers
4. Changing around 100 baseplates which sit on timber sleepers
5. Changing rail insulators
6. Re-ballasting and re-timbering the local area.

Some of the work is already complete and we plan to undertake the rest of the work in April.  As a result, we hope you will see an improvement by the end of April. In the meantime we are very sorry for the frustration experienced by you and your family.

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some 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

Lee Hill

Senior FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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