London (Parliament Politics Magzine) – Transport for London (TfL) has disbursed almost £ 30 million combatting Tube noise over the last five years, City Hall data has indicated.
The transport authority has supported a continual flow of funding into rail grinding works, designed to clear the bumps and abrasions on the tracks that assist the screeching noises.
What Are the Health Impacts of Tube Noise?
Concerns about the levels of noise encountered by passengers in carriages and residents living close to the tracks have been repeatedly presented by London Assembly members in recent months. In a letter to TfL last year, the Assembly’s environment committee cautioned that long-term direction to Tube noise can contribute to sleep disorder, heart disease, tinnitus, and poor cognitive development in children.
What Specific Measures Has TfL Taken to Reduce Tube Noise?
Replying to a written question from Labour assembly member Elly Baker earlier this month, Mayor Sadiq Khan stated that TfL spends “approximately £115million on general rail track improvements every year and much of this work results in drops in rail noise”. But on rail grinding especially, TfL has spent £29.6million. Mr Khan stated that this includes grinding “carried out to manage rail defects and maximise asset life, as well as specifically for noise reduction”.
In recent years, he said, TfL has “achieved efficiencies in its rail grinding agenda, meaning a decrease in the costs of grinding per metre”.
In their letter to TfL commissioner Andy Lord last year, the environment committee reported that ‘environmental noise’ has been identified by the World Health Organisation as the second-largest environmental health threat in Western Europe, behind air quality.
What Are the Noise Levels Inside Tube Carriages?
Research setting sound pressure levels on moving Tube carriages between 2006 and 2019, printed in The Laryngoscope journal, discovered that “passengers were routinely and consistently subjected to sound stress levels exceeding 80 dBA, with levels sometimes advancing over 100 dBA”, the committee noted.
They said: “TfL categorise 80-100 decibels as ‘hazardous’, with 80-90 decibels comparative to the noise levels of a busy restaurant, and 90-100 decibels similar to that of power tools. A decibel range of over 100 decibels however is designated as ‘highly hazardous’, with readings comparative to chainsaws, rivet hammers and even an aircraft taking off.”
London includes several hotspots in which Tube noise is quite bad. Leonie Cooper, the Labour assembly member for Merton and Wandsworth, has for example reported to the mayor several times about noise statuses close to South Wimbledon station.
How Is TfL Planning to Address Unique Noise Issues?
In a written answer to Ms Cooper in May this year, Mr Khan stated: “Tackling Tube noise for staff, passengers and neighbours is a preference both for me and for TfL. “The track in query is particularly complex and unique and, over the years, TfL has performed on some solutions to alleviate noise. TfL’s acoustician has followed an impacted property, assessed the section of the track affected and is currently studying the data before compiling the findings.
“TfL is preparing to take localised track readings to assist inform its next steps. As this particular issue is unique, there are no specific options to trial as mitigation, but TfL is determined to doing all it can [to] address the issue.”