Parts of London Underground are loud enough to damage people’s hearing, an academic at University College, London has said.

Dr Joe Sollini, of UCL’s Ear Institute, analysed data compiled by the BBC. He said this showed that the Victoria Line service is on average the loudest.

 

Other noisy sections of the tube equate to being at a rock concert, while parts of the Northern and Jubilee lines are so loud they would require hearing protection if they were workplaces.

“If someone was on a noisy tube line every day for long journeys it is perfectly possible this could increase the risk of hearing loss and potentially tinnitus,” Dr Sollini said.

Transport for London says the noise is “highly unlikely” to cause long-term damage to hearing.

Hearing protection

Some frequent commuters told the BBC that they wore hearing protection when travelling on the underground. Peter Rogers, from the Institute of Acoustics, urged Transport for  London to introduce quieter carriages.

The loudest recorded underground journey through central London was between Liverpool Street and Bethnal Green, which peaked at 109 decibels – louder than a helicopter taking off nearby.
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