On how many days in the past calendar year (3 April 2018 to 2 April 2019): -Has the main customer lift (which goes between the bus station and the interior of the station) at Walthamstow Central Station been operational? -Has the smaller lift within that station, which is understood to be in place for use predominantly by disabled persons, been operational? -Have both lifts been operational at once?" For the avoidance of doubt, this is information which should be readily available and therefore I do not consider there are grounds to extend the statutory time limit applicable or for any suggestion that to answer the request would exceed the cost limit. The request is plainly a reasonable one; as a member of the public with a young child I am entitled to know the facilities which in fact exist at the station.

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TfL Ref: FOI-0042-1920

Thank you for your email received by TfL on 3^rd April 2019 asking for information about the lifts at Walthamstow Central Station.

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.

Specifically you asked:

“Question 1: On how many days has the main customer lift (which goes between the bus station and the interior of the station) at Walthamstow Central Station been operational?

Question 2: How many days has the smaller lift within that station, which is understood to be in place for use predominantly by disabled persons, been operational?

Question 3: On how many days have both lifts been operational at once?”

Information on lift availability is published periodically on the TfL website, by reporting quarter. The most recent data (and previous reports back to quarter 4 of 2015/16) can be found via the following link (note that this provides a greater level of detail than you have requested, including the specific date each lift was out of service and the length of closure on those dates):

https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/lift-availability#on-this-page-0

Upon opening the spreadsheet you can use the Data/Filter tool to then filter the information by specific stations, including Walthamstow Central. Note that for Walthamstow Central Lift 1 is the Bus Station lift and Lift 2 is the smaller lift within the station.

In accordance with section 21 of the FOI Act, we are not obliged to supply you with a copy of the requested information as it is already accessible to you elsewhere.

The final quarter’s worth of data for 2018/19 will be published shortly. We are therefore withholding this more recent data under section 22 of the FOI Act in order that it can be published in accordance with our planned schedule and usual practices. Section 22 provides an exemption to the release of information where it is due for publication at some future date and where, in all the circumstances of the case, it is reasonable to withhold it until publication. Section 22 is a “qualified exemption”, meaning we have to weigh up whether the greater public interest lies in applying the exemption or in releasing the data now in any case.

In considering the public interest we recognise the expectation of openness and transparency placed on public authorities by the FOI Act. However, in this case that expectation is met through the routine publication of the requested material. The guidance from the Information Commissioner on the use of the section 22 exemption states that, “The closer to the date of publication, the more reasonable it is likely to be for the public authority to withhold the information until publication has taken place.” Given it will only be a short period of time until the data is published we believe that it is reasonable to apply the exemption in this case, and for the information to be issued in line with our planned processes.

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,

David Wells

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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