The latest attempt to resolve noisy Tube lines will involve testing trains travelling at slower speeds to fix the tracks.
Five areas of the Northern line will be used to trial whether corrugated rails can be smoothed by the trains themselves. However, there is no guarantee the engineers’ idea will sort the problem.
Duncan Weir, head of track for London Underground, said: “What we are trying to do is use the speed of the rolling stock. If we get it correct, it will start to self-regulate the corrugation. If we get it wrong, it will start to create significant sharp peaks.”
Excessive noise on the Tube can be discomforting for passengers, as well as being unpleasant for those who live close to trains passing by. Earlier in the year, figures revealed which Tube lines were the subject of most complaints from nearby residents, with the Northern line being named the main offender.
In June, Mayor Sadiq Khan responded to questions of what’s being done. “I know that Tube noise remains a concern for many Londoners,” he said. “I do take this matter very seriously and it remains a priority for [Transport for London] TfL to continue to monitor noise levels closely. They’ll put in place practical interventions wherever possible, but until a sustainable funding settlement for TfL is provided by the Government, TfL’s ability to carry out the long-term and expensive interventions needed to tackle Tube noise is limited.”
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