Request ID: FOI-0283-2223 Date published: 01 June 2022
You asked
Under the Freedom of Information Act, please tell me:
1. If the tweet below was approved by anyone before it was sent; and if so, by whom was it approved.
2. If the claim about safety was fact checked and if so, who fact checked it
3. If, following my very clear emails about misleading C9 safety clams, whether conversations were had with Will Norman and any other member of TfL staff about the subject. And, if they were, please supply all notes recording the substance of that conversation
4. If no conversations were had with Will Norman about making misleading public claims about safety, why were they not had?
5. Does a written TfL policy exist on the veracity of public statements? If so, please provide a copy of the policy.
https://twitter.com/willnorman/status/1523643649942167552
We answered
Our Ref: FOI-0283-2223
Thank you for your request received on 9 May 2022 asking for information about the tweet from Will Norman regarding Cycleway 9.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm we do hold the information you require. You asked:
1. If the tweet below was approved by anyone before it was sent; and if so, by whom was it approved.
The tweet was not tweeted on a Transport for London (TfL) twitter account but on Will Norman’s personal account. As a personal tweet, no approval was necessary.
2. If the claim about safety was fact checked and if so, who fact checked it?
There is strong evidence which highlights that introducing cycle tracks reduces collision risk and the risk of serious injuries to cyclists, examples of which have been supplied to you in previous correspondence.
3. If, following my very clear emails about misleading C9 safety clams, whether conversations were had with Will Norman and any other member of TfL staff about the subject. And, if they were, please supply all notes recording the substance of that conversation
Improving cycle safety is a key objective for TfL. As such safety is a subject that features in nearly all meeting about cycleways in London. The summary of the discussions which followed your previous correspondence was detailed in the email sent to you by Will Norman on 29 April 2022.
4. If no conversations were had with Will Norman about making misleading public claims about safety, why were they not had?
Will Norman did not make any misleading public claims about safety, as he detailed in the email he sent to you on 29 April 2022.
5. Does a written TfL policy exist on the veracity of public statements? If so, please provide a copy of the policy.
The TfL Code of Conduct describes our ethical values and vision, sets out the behaviour that is expected of all employees and identifies policies that are relevant to the conduct of business. A copy is available on our website:
