Do you remember last spring when passengers at Clapham Common station had to escape through broken windows as smoke filled the carriage? It was a frightening experience that sparked calls for a reassessment of safety measures on the station’s narrow island platform.
In the aftermath of the incident, a report from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch revealed that London Underground Limited failed to recognize the risks associated with evacuating passengers from a train that was partially on the platform, especially at narrow island platforms.
However, Sadiq Khan has now acknowledged that there are currently no plans to widen the Northern line platform or the similarly narrow platform at Clapham North. Both platforms measure just 3.7 meters wide and accommodate trains going in both southbound and northbound directions on the Northern line.
Last month, Marina Ahmad, the London Assembly member for the area, wrote to the mayor requesting if he would initiate research into small island stations and consider whether expanding the platforms could enhance capacity, economic efficiency, and safety.
In response, Khan stated: ‘Following the incident in May 2023, and prior to the release of the RAIB report, TfL assessed the safety risks associated with island platforms for our customers…
‘As a result, TfL updated the necessary risk assessments, ensuring that congestion plans factor in these risks, as well as the challenges of evacuating passengers from a partially deplatformed train.
‘TfL has closely examined the potential safety risks, including the idea of widening these platforms. However, doing so would entail extensive renovations, including tunnel expansions to accommodate the wider platforms. Such work would require the stations to be closed for a significant period, which would not be justified by the benefits. Moreover, it would incur substantial costs.’
He added that TfL believes the current safety measures are sufficient but that the situation will continue to be monitored.
TfL Enhancements with Time Out
While Clapham Common tube station remains unchanged, there is a lot of improvement happening in other areas of London’s transport network. Here’s a sneak peek at the new Piccadilly line trains being manufactured in Yorkshire. The Central line trains are also undergoing refurbishment (though the line is currently facing delays), the DLR is receiving new trains (which are indefinitely delayed), and the Bakerloo line might soon be extended.
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