TfL Ref 0027-2122 Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 2 April 2021 asking for information about upcoming bus tender specifications for routes 13, 16, 24, 56, 125, 148, 168, 220, 295, 307. Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold the information you require. All routes you’ve asked about apart from bus route 125 are currently undergoing a live tendering process and we are not able to release the route specifications as they are subject to a statutory exemption to the right of access to information under section 43(2) commercial interests. The bus network tendering operates through an ongoing and continuous system of tendering for routes as and when the contracts are due to expire. It is essential that we ensure this process remains as competitive as possible to ensure that we continue to be able to obtain best value for public money and services. This would have a negative impact on the competitiveness of the tendering process through reducing the number of participating bidders, as well as negatively affecting our ability to ensure a fair and robust tendering exercise which ultimately benefits the London bus system as a whole. The use of this exemption is subject to an assessment of the public interest in relation to the disclosure of the information concerned. TfL recognises the need for openness and transparency by public authorities but in this instance the public interest in ensuring that TfL is able to obtain the best value for public money outweighs the general public interest in increasing transparency of our processes. Please see attached the route specification for route 125 for which a new contract has been awarded. If you are considering submitting a further FOI request please think carefully about whether the request is essential at this current time, as answering FOI requests will require the use of limited resources and the attention of staff who could be supporting other essential activity. Where requests are made, please note that our response time may be impacted by the current situation. If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me. Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed. Yours sincerely Sara Thomas FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London

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