Safety of platform screen doors

The request was successful.

Dear Transport for London,

My questions relate to "platform screen doors" (as used on the Jubilee Line). These are doors that align with train doors on platforms, and open simultaneously with the train doors, but which can contain crowded platforms.

Under the Freedom of Information Act, can you please provide me with the following:

Q1) Details relating to any accidents involving "platform screen doors". Specifically:
- the date of the accident
- the number of people involved
- the cause of the accident
- the consequence of the accident
- the action subsequently taken (if any)
(or a similar breakdown depending on what is most easy to access from your existing records)

This list should include incidents of people becoming trapped, injured, a passenger alarm call relating to a "platform screen door", or any technical failure that resulted in a safety hazard (including doors failing to notice people becoming trapped).

Q2) Details, research, correspondence and any safety reports used, seen or commissioned by TFL to assess the relative safety of "platform screen doors" as compared to open platforms.

Q3) Details, research, correspondence and manufacturer safety reports explaining the safety features of the types of platform screen doors used by TFL on its platforms.

Yours faithfully,

Michael Parks

FOI, Transport for London

Dear Mr Parks

TfL Ref: FOI-1410-1112

Thank you for your email received by Transport for London (TfL) on 17
January 2012 asking for information about platform screen doors.

Your request will be processed in accordance with the requirements of the
Freedom of Information Act and TfL’s information access policy. 

A response will be provided to you by 14 February.

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

Yours sincerely

Lee Hill

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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Dear FOI Officer,

I am still waiting for a response to an FOI request (TfL Ref: FOI-1410-1112). Please confirm that you are still dealing with this. In accordance with the legislation, you should have provided me with a response by the 14th February.

Yours sincerely,

Michael Parks

FOI, Transport for London

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Parks

TfL Ref: FOI-1410-1112

Thank you for your email received by Transport for London (TfL) on 17
January 2012 asking for information about platform screen doors.

 

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of
the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and TfL’s information access policy. 

Because of we are still in the process of checking the information we have
available in relation to this request, we have not been able to resolve
your request within the statutory 20 working day.

We intend to provide you with a full response as soon as possible. Please
accept my apologies for this delay.

 In the meantime, if you have any queries relating to your request, please
do not hesitate to contact me.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to
appeal.

Yours sincerely

Lee Hill

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

Dear FOI Officer,

I am still waiting for a response to an FOI request (TfL Ref:
FOI-1410-1112). Please confirm that you are still dealing with
this. In accordance with the legislation, you should have provided
me with a response by the 14th February, almost three weeks ago, so I wanted to know your progress.

Yours sincerely,

Michael Parks

FOI, Transport for London

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Parks

TfL Ref: FOI-1410-1112

Thank you for your email received by Transport for London (TfL) on 17
January 2012 asking for information about platform screen doors.

 

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of
the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and TfL’s information access policy. 

Because of a change in reporting systems within the length of time covered
by your request, it has been necessary to combine two different types of
reporting and manually check each entry for accuracy and detail to ensure
consistency in the information provided. For that reason we have not been
able to resolve your request within the statutory 20 working days.

We are continuing to work on your request and intend to provide you with a
full response as soon as possible. Please accept my apologies for this
delay.

 In the meantime, if you have any queries relating to your request, please
do not hesitate to contact me.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to
appeal.

Yours sincerely

Lee Hill

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

Corporate Governance Directorate

General Counsel

Transport for London

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FOI, Transport for London

2 Attachments

Dear Mr Parks

TfL Ref: FOI-1410-1112

Thank you for your email received by Transport for London (TfL) on 17
January 2012 asking for information about the safety of Platform Edge
Doors (PEDs).

 

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of
the Freedom of Information Act and TfL’s information access policy. I can
confirm TfL holds some of the information you require. You asked for:

Q1) Details relating to any accidents involving "platform screen doors".
Specifically:

     - the date of the accident

     - the number of people involved

     - the cause of the accident

     - the consequence of the accident

     - the action subsequently taken (if any)

     (or a similar breakdown depending on what is most easy to access from
your existing records)

    

This list should include incidents of people becoming trapped, injured, a
passenger alarm call relating to a "platform screen door", or any
technical failure that resulted in a safety hazard (including doors
failing to notice people becoming trapped).

Please see the attached file containing all incidents held by TfL in
relation to this since 1999. It should be noted that the Jubilee line
carries over 180 million passengers each year and the number of incidents
involving passengers becoming trapped in the platform edge doors is
therefore extremely small.

    

Q2) Details, research, correspondence and any safety reports used, seen or
commissioned by TfL to assess the relative safety of "platform screen
doors" as compared to open platforms.

    

Unfortunately TfL no longer holds any specific safety reports or documents
relating to PEDs as their retention period has expired. However, to
briefly explain, one of the main reasons (and justifications) for having
PEDs is for ventilation although of course they do have the obvious
benefit of preventing people from falling onto the track. This is the
reason why PEDs are not installed on open platforms on the new Jubilee
Line Extension Programme stations.  The PEDs are interlocked with the
current signalling system on the Jubilee line so  that a train cannot
leave if there is an a person or obstruction trapped in the PEDs, and will
only move on when it becomes clear. It will also prevent a train from
entering the platform area if the PEDs are open.  

Q3) Details, research, correspondence and manufacturer safety reports
explaining the safety features of the types of platform screen doors used
by TfL on its platforms.

As explained above, the retention date for any such documents has passed
and they are no longer available.

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

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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Dear Tfl,

Many thanks for your reply. I am very grateful.

Yours sincerely,

Michael Parks