Up to 50 homes around Notting Hill Gate and Holland Park Tube stations are experiencing a "significant increase" in noise disturbance from Central line trains, which run up to every two minutes. Residents report that the noise is audible hundreds of metres, if not miles, above the Central line, according to Kensington and Chelsea's Full Council meeting on Wednesday, June 24.
Resident records noise every two minutes
Chair of Victoria Gardens Residents' Association, Anaïs Lombard, told the council that she had recorded Tube noise from her home approximately every two minutes. Using this figure, she estimated that Tube noise may be audible from her property up to 570 times per day. She said: "We have all been very affected by the significant increase of the Tube noise from the Central Line. As residents we understand that we live in Central London and that comes with a degree of noise but since November things have really changed and many people who've lived here for years have suddenly started experiencing this noise and this isn't an isolated incident and it's really has become audible."
Noise increase linked to rail pad removal
Last June, Transport for London (TfL) removed Pandrol Vanguard pads—which help dampen noise—from the Central line track between Holland Park and Notting Hill Gate. Since then, residents say there has been a significant increase in noise, disrupting their sleep and making homes difficult to live in. This is not the first time residents around Notting Hill Gate have experienced Tube noise issues; TfL installed pads to reduce disturbance in 2018 following previous complaints.
Council deems TfL timeline 'unacceptable'
TfL has said it aims to address the new issue in November 2026. Councillor Josh Rendall, Lead Member for Transport, Parks, and Clean Streets, called this timeline "unacceptable". He assured residents that he has met with TfL to push for a quicker resolution. The council is also carrying out its own assessments to determine if TfL has breached statutory nuisance levels regarding noise. At the meeting, Cllr Rendall said: "Transport for London really needs to act very quickly to install some sort of noise cancelling barriers or systems on the Central Line to ensure our residents get the peace and quiet they deserve as well as the sleep they deserve especially in these evenings as well."
TfL responds: 'This is a priority'
A TfL spokesperson said: "We understand the importance of minimising noise levels on the Tube itself and in surrounding areas for our customers, staff and neighbours. This is a priority and we are determined to achieve this. We've been working to improve noise and vibration issues and have made a number of improvements, including removing insulated rail joints, which removes a source of noise, and improving the condition of the track. We continue to invest significantly in track renewal and maintenance, including a continuous programme of rail grinding and track modernisation. We have undertaken a significant amount of noise and vibration-related rail grinding in the last six months and will continue to carry out other targeted interventions to reduce noise, including the removal of redundant rail joints, the maintenance of points and crossings, and re-ballasting track."
