by The Transport Team

London moves to its own rhythm. Every day, millions of people pass through Transport for London’s (TfL) London Underground (LU) network, connecting homes to workplaces, friends to loved ones, and dreams to opportunities. But amid the hum of everyday journeys, one thing is paramount: safety.

Evacuating or moving people away from danger during a security threat is always a challenge. This is made more complex on the LU due to the complex makeup of underground stations and their network.

In 2017, the Parson’s Green incident, whereby an improvised explosive device was placed on a District Line train, forced TfL to reflect:

With 4OC’s support, the Station Security Technology Integration Programme (SSTIP) business case and subsequent programme of works was born. The programme’s flagship project, Critical Incident Management (CIM), aimed to address these questions.

4OC worked alongside TfL to bring together diverse teams: engineers, operations specialists, frontline station staff, command and control, policing partners, passengers, and supply chain experts, to develop a solution that was not only technologically sound but also operationally intuitive.

The planning was meticulous. Engaging more than 100 stakeholders, we shaped a clear narrative:

“Every six seconds in a terrorist attack a life is lost, so every second counts.”

This message rallied everyone behind a common goal, making sure we didn’t just tick boxes, but truly understood what success would look like. We tested existing assets, integrated new capabilities, and prioritised LU stations for CIM rollout, all based on risk and operational priorities. Innovating delivery meant embracing complexity.

During delivery, 4OC managed the design, installation, and commissioning of CIM, optimising existing infrastructure and ensuring continued, seamless collaboration across TfL’s diverse teams. We ensured that the project delivered an approach endorsed by the Department for Transport (DfT) as a best-practice response in the first 15 minutes of an incident, as well as delivered on public commitments made in the Lord Harris Report for ensuring London’s preparedness in a major terrorist incident.

CIM represented a pioneering shift in how TfL responded to emergencies. CIM enabled TfL to act quickly, remotely unlocking gates, delivering urgent public announcements, and guiding passengers to safety. In essence, by placing real-time decision making and operational control directly into the hands of their expert teams at the London Underground Control Centre (LUCC), TfL was able to capitalise on the LUCC’s local and rail-specific knowledge for more appropriate response. When every second matters, CIM helps ensure that those seconds are used wisely.

With 4OC’s support, TfL has evolved from a passive role in safety and security waiting for emergency responders to an active one, directing the flow of passengers and information long before first responders arrive on the scene. By introducing technology as well as joined-up processes, we’ve enhanced TfL’s response and enabled the LUCC to proactively assess and respond to threats quickly and effectively.

CIM has demonstrated that safety measures can be scaled across a complex transport infrastructure. But CIM’s benefits don’t end with preparedness for marauding terrorist attacks. This new capability prepares TfL for a spectrum of challenges.

What does this mean in a wider context for major city transport networks in 2025?

In 2024, management of ‘anti-social behaviour’ is now central to discussion and is often seen as a precursor to a critical incident. Responding to anti-social behaviour requires proactive and reactive capabilities. Thankfully, preparing staff with the skills and tools to react in a critical incident has laid the groundwork for developing other proactive capabilities that support intelligence-led policing through streamlined information sharing and better-quality decision making.

And the world is taking notice. CIM has been nominated for the Spotlight Rail Awards’ Commitment to Safety 2025. It’s an honour that highlights not just the technology, but the human effort, leadership, and ingenuity behind it.

With 4OC’s support, TfL has shown that safety innovations don’t have to be slow or clunky. They can be integrated smoothly into everyday operations and drive meaningful results.

Because the journey is not only about getting from point A to point B, it’s about arriving safely.

If you’d like to find out more about the programme of work being delivered for TfL, or about how we can work collaboratively to create a safer transport network for all, reach out to us at ariel.dickson@the4oc.com.