What is GoA? Which TfL services use them?
The Grade of Automation (GoA) is an international standard (IEC 62290-1) used to categorise how much a train relies on a human operator.
GoA2 (Semi-Automatic): An operator is in the cab to start the train and supervise the track, but the train moves automatically between stations.
TfL Services: The Victoria, Central, Northern, and Jubilee lines, and the Elizabeth line (central section). Following the Four Lines Modernisation (4LM) project, the sub-surface network (Circle, District, Hammersmith & City, and Metropolitan lines) also operates at GoA2.
GoA3 (Driverless): There is no driver in a front cab, but a trained staff member is on board to operate doors and handle emergencies.
TfL Services: The Docklands Light Railway (DLR).
GoA4 (Unattended): The train is entirely autonomous. No staff member is required on board for standard operation.
TfL Services: None.
#Transport for #London Freedom of Information release: #Driverless #Trains Study as Part of the #TfL Funding Bailout The requested report is attached. Some info is withheld under #FOI exemptions for security, commercial, and safety reasons. tfl.gov.uk/corporate/tr...
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) February 20, 2025 at 3:56 PM
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Cost of automating the Underground to GoA4
Upgrading a Victorian-era network to GoA4 represents a significant financial and engineering challenge. In official responses to the London Assembly (MQT 2021/2486), the Mayor of London confirmed that an internal TfL analysis, prepared as part of the Government-mandated KPMG review of TfL’s finances, assessed the cost-benefit of such a move.
Financial Projections: The October 2020 internal analysis shared with the Department for Transport (DfT) estimated that introducing driverless trains across the London Underground would cost £7 billion. However, recent 2025/26 projections suggest that converting just the three oldest deep-level lines (the Bakerloo, Central, and Waterloo & City) would actually cost approximately £21 billion.
Political Conditions: Despite these high capital requirements, the Government's funding settlement of 1 June 2021 mandated that TfL work with the DfT to examine the feasibility of producing a viable business case for driverless trains on the Waterloo & City and Piccadilly lines.
The Elizabeth Line: The Mayor has noted that even for this new infrastructure, a move to GoA4 is not planned. The technology still requires a driver to manage the transition between different signalling systems on the national rail network.
The London Infrastructure Plan 2050, published in 2014, outlines the New Tube for London (2024 Tube Stock), the next generation of deep tube trains. 🚇⦵
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) January 17, 2026
It proposes full automation (GoA4) and platform screen doors for the Central and Piccadilly lines to boost capacity. pic.twitter.com/Yn9IO2pWlE
UK Case Studies: DLR and Glasgow Subway
The automated systems in the UK demonstrate that technology does not equate to a strike-proof service.
The DLR (GoA3): The DLR is frequently cited as a model for automation, yet it remains susceptible to industrial action because it requires Passenger Service Agents (PSAs). If PSAs or control room staff walk out, the service cannot legally operate. This led to total suspensions during strikes in September 2025 and November 2023.
Glasgow Subway (Transitioning to GoA4): The Glasgow Subway is in the final stages of a major modernisation programme, with Unattended Train Operation (GoA4) expected by late 2026. However, it has already faced significant disruption. In June and July 2025, the network was brought to a standstill by strikes over pay and working conditions. Even as the system moves toward full automation, officials have confirmed that a staff presence will still be required for safety and operational reasons.
Global GoA4 strikes
Fully unattended (GoA4) systems in other cities further demonstrate that automation does not eliminate the impact of strikes:
Paris Métro: While Lines 1 and 14 are GoA4, they have been disrupted during wider RATP strikes. Trains still require maintenance engineers and control room staff to operate safely.
Barcelona Metro: Lines 9 and 10 are GoA4, yet they faced severe disruption during general strikes as recently as February 2026.
Vancouver SkyTrain: This system has faced multiple strike threats from maintenance and technical unions. While the trains require no drivers, they cannot operate without the technicians who maintain the complex automated signalling "heart" of the system.
The Legal Barrier: Fire Safety, Evacuation & Accessibility
The implementation of a "staff-free" network faces significant legal hurdles in England, regardless of the technology used.
The Fire Precautions (Sub-surface Railway Stations) (England) Regulations 2009
Under Regulation 10(2), sub-surface stations are legally required to be staffed by a minimum of two trained personnel at all times when the public has access. For major hubs like King's Cross St. Pancras or Oxford Circus, safety plans often require between 16 and 19 staff members to be present to manage fire safety and crowd control. If these staff go on strike, the station cannot legally open, even if the trains are "driverless."
The legal framework governing passenger safety extends beyond the station platform to the tunnels themselves. Under the Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) Regulations 2006, operators must maintain robust emergency plans for "stuck" trains. In the event of a traction power failure or a fire in a deep-level tunnel, the physical evacuation of passengers—often involving a walk through narrow, unlit "bench" walkways to the nearest ventilation shaft—requires a high ratio of trained staff to manage the transition safely. For passengers with reduced mobility (PRM), the legal duty of care is even more stringent; without on-board or rapidly deployable staff to assist with evacuation chairs or guided movement, an operator would likely be in breach of both safety bylaws and the Equality Act 2010, making a completely unstaffed deep-level service a significant liability.
The Equality Act 2010
Under the Equality Act 2010, TfL has a legal duty to make "reasonable adjustments" to ensure that disabled passengers are not placed at a substantial disadvantage. This is formalised through the "Turn Up and Go" service, which allows passengers to receive assistance without booking in advance.
Automation of the train's movement does not remove the legal requirement for a human presence to facilitate these accessibility standards:
Manual Boarding Ramps: While some modern stations offer level boarding, many older deep-level platforms have significant gaps or vertical steps. At these locations, boarding ramps must be manually deployed by station staff. Without staff present—due to a strike or unstaffed operation—wheelchair users and those with restricted mobility would be physically unable to board or alight safely.
Lift Failures and Alternative Routing: Lift systems across the ageing network are prone to mechanical faults. When a lift breaks down, TfL is legally required under its Accessible Travel Policy (ATP) to provide an alternative route.
Free Alternative Transport: If no reasonable alternative step-free route exists during a lift failure, station staff are required to book and pay for an accessible taxi to take the passenger to the nearest accessible station or their destination. This service is provided entirely free of charge to the disabled person, ensuring they are not financially penalised for infrastructure failures.
Operational Necessity: These "reasonable adjustments" are managed entirely by on-site personnel. If a station were unstaffed, there would be no one to verify a lift fault, deploy a ramp, or coordinate the free alternative transport, leaving the network in breach of its statutory obligations.
London Bridge has signal in Jubilee line tunnels, proving wider coverage is vital for safety.
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) February 23, 2026
If stuck in a lift with no signal, dial 112. Your phone will automatically "piggyback" onto any available network to reach emergency services, even if your own provider has no coverage. pic.twitter.com/WGLQfV3C5H
Conclusion
While GoA4 automation reduces the reliance on a driver in a cab, the network remains dependent on a broader ecosystem of staff. As the Mayor's official answers and recent events in Glasgow and the DLR confirm, human presence remains a legal and operational necessity for fire safety, technical maintenance, and accessibility. Industrial action by signallers, maintenance crews, or station staff still results in service disruptions, meaning a "driverless" Tube is not a strike-proof Tube.
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