Dear Mr Wilson,

Thank you for your email of 13 January.

While I welcome your timely response to the points raised, it has prompted me to seek further clarification on a number of matters.

1) Could you please clarify whether rail grinding in our specific area around Balcombe Street is scheduled to take place between now and the end of 2026 or March 2027, or whether this was intended to read “by the end of 2025”? I note a lack of firm commitment to completing the works promptly, which appears to be due to TfL’s operational and funding constraints.

2) Of major concern is your statement that grinding was carried out in December 2023 on the noisier southbound tracks and in February 2025 on the northbound tracks, and that rail grinding results in a significant reduction in noise. In both instances, however, it is clear that the grinding has not been effective, as the noise has persisted throughout 2024 and 2025.
Could you therefore please confirm whether the grinding was carried out using handheld mechanical devices, where precision may be limited, or by one of the large rail-grinding machines that operate directly on the tracks (of which I understand TfL has only two)? Most importantly, was this grinding undertaken in our specific area near Balcombe Street? If the grinding was indeed carried out by the larger rail-grinding machines in our immediate area, then the re-emergence of significant noise within months would suggest that grinding alone is not an effective solution. The engineer’s report indicates a very high decibel level of 43 recorded within 10 months of the most recent grinding.

3) You state that night trains on the northbound line running close to Balcombe Street now have a speed restriction applied. Could you please confirm precisely where this restriction starts and finishes, as well as the times during which it applies, as I have been unable to discern any noticeable difference? As you note, the southbound line is the noisier of the two, yet no speed restriction has been applied there. I therefore strongly request that a speed restriction also be imposed on the southbound line, in the interests of my wellbeing and that of other residents, and that this restriction be extended into daytime hours until permanent works are completed in 2026/27.

4) Your letter does not confirm whether resilient trackform (vibration dampers) has actually been installed in the vicinity of Balcombe Street. Could you please clarify this? If it has not been installed in our area, please confirm whether you intend to do so when the next phase of grinding works takes place.

5) Finally, your letter does not clarify whether the images you kindly included in your report relate to the source of the noise affecting my property and others in and around Balcombe Street. I would appreciate confirmation of the precise location of those tracks. If those rails are contributing to the noise due to their proximity to Balcombe Street, do they not require urgent replacement, given their visibly poor condition?

6) I note what you say about track lubrication and that it is not appropriate to deploy in our location.

Yours sincerely,

Bruce Gibson

Sent 2nd Feb, 2026

Ref: 22866341

13 January 2026 
 
Dear Mr Gibson

I’m very sorry for the delay in addressing the additional points you raised in mid-December regarding the noise from the Jubilee line.

After liaising with our engineering team, I have provided their responses below:

Confirm whether the section of track between St John’s Wood and Baker Street is included within TfL’s corrugation monitoring and management programme; 

We use a data-led approach to rail-grinding, which factors in the entire London Underground network. As a result, this location would also form part of the programme. The grinding programme for the financial year 2026-2027 is still being put together, but this section of track has been noted as a priority.

Confirm when the affected rails and associated points and crossing were last subject to grinding, reprofiling, or renewal;

The northbound track last had grinding in February 2025. The southbound track last had grinding in December 2023, and had new rail and baseplates installed in the summer of 2025. The points and crossing undergo regular routine inspections, and any issues are addressed as and when required. It’s worth noting that the points and crossing are on the northbound track, whereas the main source of the noise in the area is the southbound track.
 

Set out what interim mitigation measures may be implemented pending the finalisation of the 2026 rail-grinding programme;

At present, this section of track is being managed by a restricted speed during Night Tube hours.
 

Confirm whether post-remedial noise and vibration monitoring will be undertaken to verify the effectiveness of any works;

The effectiveness of rail-grinding is well understood, so pre- and post-grinding measurements aren’t always deemed necessary, as we know it will bring a significant improvement.
 

Confirm whether additional mitigation measures, such as under-track vibration dampers or acoustic barriers, have been considered and whether they could be deployed at this location.

This has been considered and we have already installed a resilient trackform on sections where the highest levels of groundborne noise tend to occur.

I ask that TfL confirm whether any short-term measures can be implemented to reduce disturbance, including but not limited to:
 

Temporary speed restrictions on both lines;

This is currently in place during Night Tube hours on the northbound track. The application of speed restrictions has a significant impact on the frequency of the service, so this always needs to be considered carefully. The primary use of speed restrictions is for the management of safety-related issues.
 

Lubrication or friction modifiers;

These are deployed where they are found to be a suitable solution. It’s worth noting that these are not suitable for every noise-related issue, as their application varies from noise type to noise type.
 

Any other measures designed to reduce impulsive or low-frequency noise.

​​​​​​​Please see responses outlined above, particularly Q5.

I trust this addresses each point. I’d like to apologise once again for the frustration that the Tube noise is causing within your home, and I’m sorry that it’s taken a short while to come back to you.

Kind regards 
 
Derek Wilson 
Customer Service Adviser 
Transport for London Customer Services