Driverless Trains
Answered By:
The Mayor
Date:
Wednesday, 16th January 2019
There are no driverless trains on London Underground, as there is an occupied cab on all rolling stock fleets. All London Underground trains are currently either operated manually (when a train driver controls starting and stopping, the operation of doors and handling of emergencies) or in semi-automatic mode (when starting and stopping is automated, but a driver operates the doors and drives the train if needed).
Technology is increasingly automating the way railways are operated, and in some cases, the movement of trains is controlled automatically via the control and signalling systems rather than by the driver. Driverless trains have been in operation on the Docklands Light Railway since it opened in 1987, though a train attendant is present to operate the doors and drive the train if needed.
Since 2015, Transport for London (TfL) has been designing and implementing with partner Thales the Four Lines Modernisation Programme, which will introduce new signalling technology across the Metropolitan, Circle, Hammersmith & City and District Lines. TfL is currently upgrading its rolling stock on these lines from manual to semi-automatic, to ensure it can interface with the new systems once switched on.
On the Piccadilly line, 94 new trains will be introduced in the 2020s as part of the Deep Tube Upgrade Programme. As I made clear to the Assembly last year, the London Underground system is an extremely complex environment, in particular, the deep tube lines. For reasons of safety, they are not suitable for driverless trains and there are no plans for their introduction.
Answer for Driverless Trains
Answered By:
The Mayor
Date:
Tuesday, 22nd January 2019
Officers are drafting a response.
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