Environmental performance indicators
We measure our performance against a number of key performance indicators as described on this page.
The results shown below cover performance during the 2007 financial year running from 7 January 2007 to 5 January 2008. Where comparisons are provided, they are based on performance achieved in the same period in previous years.
We asked Deloitte to provide independent assurance on our key environmental performance indicators to assure those outside the company that our data is robust and to help us identify ways to improve our data capture. Deloitte provided assurance over legal compliance, complaints, commendations, incidents, inspections, internal and external audits, utility consumption and waste generation.
The assurance process has highlighted our hazardous waste performance indicator as an area for improvement. An anomaly in our calculation of hazardous waste volumes was identified. We welcome these findings and will respond in 2008, further refining our data collection and internal validation processes.
For more information refer to the independent assurance statement.
Complaints reported
Complaints are received in a variety of ways, including our 24-hour telephone helpline. To give a better picture of our performance, we record each complaint received rather than the number of complainants. We take every appropriate step to fix problems reported by residents, resident groups, civic societies, environmental health officers and other council officers.
| Year | Number of complaints reported | ||||||
| Total | Noise | Nuisance | Waste | Pollution | Wildlife | Av. days to close | |
| 2005 | 311 | 224 | 22 | 10 | 6 | 49 | 23 |
| 2006 | 341 | 240 | 28 | 8 | 9 | 56 | 21 |
| 2007 | 468 | 289 | 44 | 31 | 13 | 91 | 18 |
Complaint rate
We normalise the number of complaints we receive against the amount of work we do – (number of complaints/work hours) x 100,000. The number of work hours covers both Tube Lines employees and contractors.
| Year | Complaint rate | |
| Total | Noise | |
| 2005 | 2.29 | 1.65 |
| 2006 | 2.32 | 1.63 |
| 2007 | 3.13 | 1.93 |
Read the Community Relations and Noise sections of this report to find out more about how we deal with complaints and are working to keep noise and nuisance to a minimum.
Commendations
Commendations are received in the same way as complaints. Two commendations for resolution of environmental issues were received in 2007.
Incidents
The reporting of incidents is mandatory in Tube Lines. Contractors and employees can call a free phone number to report incidents, 24 hours a day. Environmental incidents range from small oil spills to disturbances of invasive weeds. Action is taken to address the root cause of each incident and prevent reoccurrence. Read the Pollution and Wildlife sections of this report to find out more about how we prevent pollution and manage invasive species.
| Year | Number of incidents reported |
| Total | |
| 2005 | 17 |
| 2006 | 32 |
| 2007 | 16 |
Inspections
We conduct internal health, safety and environmental inspections to monitor Tube Lines sites for compliance with the requirements of our management system. Inspections, conducted by health, safety and environmental advisers and Tube Lines managers, identify near hits – substandard performance that could lead to an incident, for example incorrect storage of oil. Near hits are corrected by site management and actions to address root causes are taken in order to prevent reoccurrence.
| Year | Number of environmental near hits reported | ||||
| Total | Noise | Waste | Pollution | Wildlife | |
| 2005 | 78 | 3 | 17 | 58 | 0 |
| 2006 | 146 | 12 | 20 | 104 | 5 |
| 2007 | 125 | 4 | 41 | 77 | 2 |
Internal audits
Members of the environment team are qualified environmental auditors and conduct audits across the business to assess compliance with Go Green, our environmental management system. Audits offer a more thorough and comprehensive assessment of compliance than inspections. Non-conformances are raised during audits where performance is found not to be compliant. Site management teams are required to implement corrective and preventative actions to resolve the non-conformance within an agreed timeframe. Opportunities for improvements and good practice are also recorded during audits.
| Year | Internal non-conformances raised |
| Total | |
| 2005 | 22 |
| 2006 | 16 |
| 2007 | 3 |
External audits
Tube Lines was the subject of two third-party environmental audits in the period under review. These were conducted by British Standards Institute (BSI) as part of our ISO 14001 certification. BSI auditors classify major and minor non-conformances for areas not compliant with the requirements of ISO 14001 as corrective actions and issues. Additionally, they raise opportunities for improvement as observations. At subsequent audits, evidence of action taken to address and close out corrective actions, issues and observations is requested by the auditor.
| Year | External audit findings | ||
| Corrective action | Issue | Observation | |
| 2005 | 0 | 8 | 26 |
| 2006 | 0 | 3 | 14 |
| 2007 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
Utility consumption
Tube Lines is responsible for energy and utilities use and the resulting payments for our premises at 15 Westferry Circus in Canary Wharf and Trackside House and the Skills Training Centre in Stratford. Although we are responsible for the direct maintenance of the train fleets on the Piccadilly line, we are not responsible for paying the utility bills at the depots. However, in this report we provide utility consumption figures for our own premises and the Piccadilly line depots to give a fuller picture of the energy and utility use related to our work. The information is provided by employees and contractors reading the utility meters and bills.
Read the Energy and utilities section of this report to find out more about how we are working to reduce energy and utility consumption.
| Location | Utility consumption at premises | ||
| Electricity kWh | Gas m³ | Water m³ | |
| 15 Westferry Circus | |||
| 2006 2007 |
10,446,591 8,473,581 |
13,386 37,622 |
9,204 6,144 |
| Stratford offices | |||
| 2006 2007 |
2,165,375 1,578,178 |
62,653 42,339 |
6,800 6,145 |
| Cockfosters depot | |||
| 2006 2007 |
173,128 150,845 |
159,212 148,780 |
1,498* 3,280* |
| Northfields depot | |||
| 2006 2007 |
188,238 179,029 |
110,852 125,233 |
N/A* N/A* |
| Location | Utility consumption per m² | ||
| Electricity kWh/m² | Gas m³/m² | Water m³/m² | |
| 15 Westferry Circus | |||
| 2006 2007 |
491 399 |
1 2 |
0.4 0.3 |
| Stratford offices | |||
| 2006 2007 |
281 205 |
8 5 |
0.9 0.8 |
| Cockfosters depot | |||
| 2006 2007 |
10 9 |
9 9 |
0.1* 0.2* |
| Northfields depot | |||
| 2006 2007 |
10 9 |
6 7 |
N/A* N/A* |
* Water use relating to train washing activities only.
Waste generation
Tube Lines Distribution Services Management (DSM) collects operational waste from depots and stations across the London Underground network. Records of waste types and volumes are retained each time waste is removed.
All paper waste collected by DSM’s dedicated waste paper vehicle is recycled. Segregated waste paper collected from stations not on the dedicated route is also recycled. Based on the best information available to us, we estimate that 15 per cent of mixed municipal waste (office and station general waste), 49 per cent of skip and compactor (depot general waste) and 76 per cent of track waste is recycled.
At this time we are unable to provide robust metrics for construction waste resulting from our upgrade projects. In 2007, our zero waste to landfill pilot set the standard for waste reporting from these works. As we roll out zero waste to landfill in 2008 and introduce site waste management plans, our reporting will improve and we hope to report against this next year.
Read the Waste and materials section of this report to find out more about how we manage waste and materials.
| Waste type | Waste generated in tonnes | ||
| 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | |
| Mixed municipal waste | 5823 | 6614 | 7745 |
| Skips & compactor waste | 2739 | 3216 | 3027 |
| Hazardous waste | 535 | 546 | 444 |
| Track waste | 4467 | 5388 | 6033 |
| Dedicated paper waste recycling | 417 | 806 | 2070 |
