GOING UP?
How we’re working to reduce the number of lift breakdowns at our stations
Over the last two years, the amount of time our station lifts have been out of order has been – unlike some of the lifts themselves – going up.
When station lifts don’t work, it’s more than just an inconvenience for customers; for those with limited mobility, it can be a physical barrier to travel.
We know from messages we receive from them that it can leave them feeling isolated and degraded.
There are also financial penalties associated with poor performance, and customer frustrations can also impact colleagues.
“Last year, especially during the summer, it felt like the lifts were breaking down every few weeks,” says Hackney Central customer host William Amponsah.
“We can help by explaining alternative travel options or physically helping people who have difficulty walking up the stairs, or who have pushchairs. But when it keeps happening, they understandably get very frustrated, making our job more difficult.”
On some occasions, customers were inside the lifts when they stopped – a scary experience which also requires a specific procedure to free them safely.
Our data shows that the total number of faults and hours when lifts have been out of action across the last two financial years has risen sharply.
“Last year was probably the worst year on the Overground network for lift performance,” says head of business intelligence Matt Bromley. “In total, there were around 13,000 hours of cumulative downtime – in other words, time when lifts were not operational. That’s higher than any previous year by some margin.
“We had some major incidents, such as a water leak into a motor room at Hampstead Heath and a corroded cable at West Hampstead, but also some stations with repeated small problems. There are a number of causes, but one of the underlying factors is that these are ageing assets. There are also climatic effects – hotter weather and more rain affects the performance of lifts.”
While there is no quick fix for the more complex problems – replacing lifts can cost millions – there is some good news with funding secured for a wave of improvements.
ARL has been working closely with TfL, maintenance contractors, and Network Rail, which owns most of the lifts, to reduce incidents at some of the worst affected stations.
In addition, separate funding has been secured for a complete replacement of the lifts at Willesden Junction, which are among the oldest on the network. This work is expected to begin in 2025. A new maintenance contract secured by Network Rail at the end of 2024 is also expected to see more targeted and preventative work.
Another help is for colleagues to ensure all faults are reported to the Helpdesk on 01480 220 238 or by emailing carlisle@elogs.co.uk
Halima Miah, concession contracts manager, adds: “It’s better that something is reported more than once than not at all. It ensures it is logged properly, and we can spot any patterns and repeat failures.
“Thank you to colleagues for their ongoing support during lift failures with special mention to our lift porters who assist passengers and provide a valuable contribution to the service.”
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email: communications@arrivarl.co.uk
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