Six Million Tube cooling contract awarded

At time of writing it doesn't seem particularly warm, but forecasters are predicting the warmest day of the year in London so far. So it's kind of timely that yesterday TfL announced that Mansell Construction Services have won a £6 million contract to improve ventilation on the London Underground.


"The Balfour Beatty subsidiary beat three other bidders to clinch a design and construction deal relating to the upgrade of mid-tunnel ventilation shafts along the Victoria Line." said Transport Briefing.

Last year a special project team was set up - the "Cooling The Tube Programme" as potentially dangerous temperatures were recorded on the Underground network during the summer months. Both Ianvisits (who gave me the heads up on this) and Pete from the Londoneer went along to a lecture about the difficulties involved in keep the Tube cool.

However, when Metronet collapsed, the budget for the cooling programme looked like it was going to be hit.



Maybe the £6 million is part of the £150 million that was reported to be spent on cooling the Tube a couple of years ago. Who knows? But at least yesterday's contract is a step in the right direction.

The Victoria Line upgrade work is continuing with the ground water cooling scheme at Victoria Tube station & the upgrade of the ventilation shafts should double ventilation capability. Also London Underground will introduce air-conditioned trains on the Hammersmith and City, Metropolitan, District & Circle, District lines as part of an upgrade to the sub-surface lines.

Nothing currently reported about cooling the rest of the lines, so you might have to carry on with your own methods of keeping cool - including the inventive use of home made foam board fans below.