TfL book exchanges removed due to ‘fire safety’ risk

Beloved book exchanges at Tube Stations have been axed due to “fire safety” regulations with immediate effect. The scheme first appeared in London around 20 years ago and allows travellers to take free books from the mini-libraries or drop-off their own for others to enjoy.

Now, the scheme has been scrapped due to “fire safety” regulations. A notice which appeared in Clapham North Underground Station this week said: “Due to fire safety regulations from the London Fire Brigade, we have been forced to close all Book Exchange Libraries with immediate effect. We are sad to see this go. Thank you for all your support over the years.”

Some Tube-users have questioned the decision. Ryan Seller said: "Just a week after World Book Day which saw TfL celebrate the Book Exchange Libraries at their stations across London, it's a real shame to see the popular scheme shut down.

"I really don't understand why the small book shelves have been identified as fire risks and shut down with immediate effect - it seems like a complete over reaction.

"If we're going to take this approach, what about the piles of Metro newspapers, the paper tube maps, or even the billboard posters at every station? Why are they not deemed as risks to be removed?

"These exchanges bring a little bit of joy to the communities they serve at a time when good news is few and far between. As a Londoner, it feels like we're slowly having everything nice taken away from us! "

The closure is due to regulations that have been in place since 2009 which state "all parts of station premises must be kept clear of any accumulation of combustible refuse or other combustible matter.”

A spokesperson for London Fire Brigade said: “Ensuring the safety of those using the London transport network is our priority. We are working with Transport for London with regards to their responsibility to remove all book libraries from subsurface stations.

"This is due to combustible material posing a fire safety risk if it is stored on these premises. Non-subsurface stations have been asked to remove book libraries from display until they have the correct fire safety plans in place.”

Transport for London say that the book swaps have been removed while they check that they are compliant with these fire safety regulations. If they meet these then they will be restored across a number of stations, it added.

A spokesperson for TfL said: “We work very closely with London Fire Brigade and other emergency services to ensure our services run safely and following guidance from the Fire Service, we have advised our staff to remove book swaps from stations.

"We’d like to apologise to any of our customers that this impacts and we are reviewing our processes for these internally and will work with the Fire Service to see if book swaps can be re-introduced at some stations across the network in the future. We will also work with local communities to redistribute books to alternative local locations in the meantime.”

Following fires on District line and Jubilee line trains, TfL banned e-scooters and e-unicycles from the Tube in 2021. However, no ban has been put in place for e-bikes being taken onto the Tube.

London Fire Brigade ran a #ChargeSafe campaign to raise awareness of the fact that both e-bikes and e-scooters can start "incredibly ferocious fires" which can "spread quickly and out of control". These fires break out as a result of modifications made to e-bikes, incompatible chargers, faulty or counterfeit products.

Got a story? Please get in touch at katherine.gray@reachplc.com

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