Asbestos survey for Stockwell underground station

Thank you for contacting TfL’s FOI Case Management Team.  

Please note that if your email does not relate to a Freedom of Information
(FOI) Act or Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) matter it will
not be processed or forwarded on for action. You should therefore redirect
any non-FOI/EIR matters to the appropriate area of TfL using the following
links:  

[1]https://tfl.gov.uk/help-and-contact/ 

[2]https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congest...

[3]https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-l...

If you need to contact the Privacy team or submit a subject access
request, please use the relevant form on [4]this page or email [5][email
address]. 

If you have made a request for information held by TfL under the Freedom
of Information (FOI) Act or the Environmental Information Regulations
(EIR), or your request relates to any other FOI/EIR matter, we will
respond as soon as possible.  

This message has been scanned for malware by Forcepoint. [6]www.forcepoint.com

References

Visible links
1. https://tfl.gov.uk/help-and-contact/
2. https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congest...
3. https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-l...
4. https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/privacy-and...
5. mailto:[email%20address]
6. http://www.forcepoint.com/

Dear Louis Smith,

TfL Ref: EIR-3485-2425

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 28^th
January 2025 asking for asbestos surveys for Stockwell and Pimlico London
Underground stations.

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

A response will be sent to you by 24^th February 2025.

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

show quoted sections

Dear Louis Smith,

TfL Ref: EIR-3485-2425

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 28^th
January 2025 asking for asbestos surveys for Stockwell and Pimlico London
Underground stations.

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

I can confirm that we hold the information you require.

The requested reports are attached. 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.

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.

Note that photographs that appear in the report have been redacted under
Regulation 12(5)(a) of the EIR. This exception applies to information
that would adversely affect “international relations, defence, national
security or public safety.” The rationale is that the photographs allow
the exact location of presumed asbestos to be pinpointed. This information
would be of value to anyone looking to disrupt London’s transport
infrastructure by placing into the public domain information which would
otherwise not be available via other means. Whilst we make no suggestion
that you would use this information for anything other than you own
interest, disclosure of information under EIR is regarded as a disclosure
to the public at large. As you will no doubt be aware, the transport
system in London has been the target of attacks in the past. The
information requested contains sensitive information which could be of use
for anyone seeking to research or plan for such an attack or to actively
cause disruption to the network.

The Information Commissioner’s Office has previously issued the following
Decision Notice regarding the security of public transport. Whilst the
information requested in this case is different to the information you
have requested, we believe the same arguments can be applied:

[1]https://ico.org.uk/media/action-weve-tak...

The use of this exception is subject to an assessment of the public
interest in relation to the disclosure of the information concerned. We
recognise the need for openness and transparency by public authorities,
and acknowledge that there may be some interest in the information in
question - as evidenced by the fact that you have requested it. However,
as we believe this information could potentially be obtained and utilised
by individuals who may wish to use it to cause disruption or harm to
London’s transport infrastructure, in this instance we believe that
minimising the risk to that infrastructure and protecting the safety and
welfare of members of the general public and our staff outweighs the
limited public interest in disclosure.

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

show quoted sections