Asbestos in tunnels Green park to North Greenwich

Dear Mr Smith,

TfL Ref: EIR-1480-2223

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 19^th
September 2022 asking for information about the Jubilee line tunnels from
Green Park to North Greenwich.

Your request will be processed in accordance with the requirements of the
Environmental Information Regulations and our information access policy. 

A response will be sent to you by 17^th October 2022.

We will publish anonymised versions of requests and responses on the
[1]www.tfl.gov.uk website. We will not publish your name and we will send
a copy of the response to you before it is published on our website.

In the meantime, if you would like to discuss this matter further, please
do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely,

David Wells

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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Dear Mr Smith,

TfL Ref: EIR-1480-2223

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 19^th
September 2022 asking for information about the Jubilee line tunnels from
Green Park to North Greenwich.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of
the Environmental Information Regulations and our information access
policy. 

Specifically you asked:

“Please would it be possible to know if the tunnels, on the Jubilee line
between Green park and North Greenwich contain any asbestos?”

I can confirm that we hold the information you require.

Note that due to the age of the Underground, asbestos is found in a number
of locations on the network. However, in public areas the vast majority of
Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) are contained behind station finishes
and cannot be accessed by the general public. Where ACMs are found in
public areas, they are located where they cause no risk to the general
public or staff. All stations are re-inspected on a periodic basis to
ensure that no damage has been caused to change this status. If, in the
very rare case it is assessed and the status has changed for any reason,
then a risk assessment is undertaken which will result in either
encapsulation, encasement, or removal.

The only section of tunnel between Green Park and North Greenwich where
asbestos is known to be present is between Green Park Station and the
junction going towards Westminster (known as ‘Step Plate Junction’). It is
a relatively short section of tunnel around 200 metres in length. This
section of the line was constructed in the 1970’s and completed towards
the end of that decade. During this period, asbestos was still being used
and it is therefore present within this section of track. It is present in
the following forms:

 1. Asbestos woven cable sheath
 2. Flash guards within electrical/signalling equipment
 3. Caulking between tunnel ring segments
 4. Composite boarding within equipment boxes
 5. Packing material within wooden pit blocks in platform area.

The track sections beyond Step Plate Junction were constructed in the
1990s and asbestos containing materials were not used.

TfL have processes and procedures in place to ensure that the management
of asbestos is carried out in compliance with the Control of Asbestos
Regulations 2012.  Some of the main requirements that London Underground
deliver under this regulation are listed below:

•           Identify the location and condition of hazardous materials
•           Maintain an asbestos register with known, presumed or strongly
presumed asbestos
•           Assess and manage the risk of exposure
•           Prepare, implement, review & monitor the management plan to
manage the risks
•           Regularly inspect known instances of asbestos
•           Provide information on the location and condition of the
material to anyone who is likely to disturb it
•           Carry out management, refurbishment and / or pre-demolition
surveys when required
•           Carry out airborne fibre monitoring where necessary
•           Maintain records detailing when and where asbestos is removed,
treated and disposed
•           Request and retain Waste Consignment Note upon transportation
of Hazardous Materials to Hazardous Waste Landfill site
•           Hold relevant Asbestos Management Qualifications

It is London Underground’s policy to continue to safely manage ACMs
in-situ, through continued management surveys, re-inspections, risk
assessments and pre-work Refurbishment & Demolition (R&D) surveys. We also
carry out airborne fibre monitoring for asbestos for reassurance during
work on or near to asbestos containing materials.

If this is not the information you are looking for 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

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