Our Ref:         FOI-0553-2021

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.
 
All expenditure within the organisation is carefully assessed to ensure it is essential to providing a safe, efficient, extensive and reliable transport network, including expenses incurred by employees who often are called upon to travel out of the capital on business and attend conferences and other out of hours business related activities.
 
Our staff are responsible for operating a world class transport network transporting millions of people around the capital each day. As a result of running a transport network on this scale, our staff sometimes have to travel across the UK, Europe, and the world to meet with suppliers as well as learning from and offering our expertise on running such a huge network to other world leading cities.
 
You asked:
 
1.    For each of the last two financial years (a) 2018-19 and (b) 2019-20 please state (i) how much your organisation spent on taxi fares and (ii) what was the single biggest taxi fare and what was the departure point and destination for the journey
 
Spent  2018/19 2019/20
Taxi fares £20,596.10 £26,003.24
Single Biggest Taxi Fare £ 296.05  £ 682.60
 
Expenses claims in relation to taxi journeys will typically be from staff who are called upon to travel out of the capital on business and attend conferences and other out of hours business related activities. Taxis are also used to help staff get to and from their work locations overnight when they are working.
 
The trip in 2018/19 was from Stockholm Airport to Vasteras, the location of the design review. There were thunderstorms that meant alternative travel would have been unsafe.
 
The 2019/20 trip was from Milan Linate Airport to the Piacenza Best Western Park Hotel. This trip was taken after 9pm and was the cheapest way of travelling as there were five people in the taxi. The team were in Italy to visit Telema regarding brake resistors.
 
2.    For each of the last two financial years (a) 2018-19 and (b) 2019-20 please state (i) how much your organisation spent on aeroplane travel tickets, (ii) state how much of the bill in each year was for first-class or business class air tickets.
 
Whilst we take rail journeys wherever possible, some journeys require air travel. Air travel is only approved where the use of more sustainable modes of travel will incur excessive time, cost or logistical implications.
 
Any flights which are undertaken will have their carbon emissions offset as an important final step for dealing with carbon emissions that cannot be reasonably avoided. Carbon offsetting is a technique where carbon emissions from activities like air travel are calculated and priced. An equivalent payment is made to support activities that directly reduce emissions.
 
Bookings for air travel can only be made with evidence of pre-approval from senior management. Scheduled air travel must be booked only according to the following restrictions:
· Standard class for flights up to 5 hours
· Premium economy and business class allowable only for flights over 5 hours
· Scheduled flights will be managed by a 2 tier approval process based on a spend threshold
· Air miles or similar benefits must not be used for private purposes
 
The information you have requested is available on our website using the following link (to 28 February 2020):
 
https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/transparency/freedom-of-information/foi-request-detail?referenceId=FOI-3211-1920
 
In accordance with section 21 of the FOI Act, TfL is not obliged to supply you with a copy of the requested information as it is already accessible to you elsewhere.
 
Please note that in the response above two flights were recorded as First Class travel – one for £73.46 in 2018/19, and another for £1003.20 in 2019/20. These flights were incorrectly recorded as First Class travel, both were Economy Class flights. Details of the only First Class trips taken during the requested period can be found below.
 
In March 2020 £36,521.94 was spent on air travel, £4429.82 of this was on Business Class travel. There were no First Class flights.
 
3.    For any first-class air tickets purchased in either year please state for each ticket (i) the cost, (ii) the whether it was a return or single fare, (iii) the airline used and (iv) the departure and destination airports.
 
First class bookings may only be booked if either the passenger pays for an upgrade themselves or if the flight is paid for by a third party such as event/conference organisers.
 
  Cost Amount paid by TfL Return/Single Airline Departure Airport Destination Airport
2018/19 £3956.31 £313.50 Return British Airways London Heathrow Hong Kong International
  £5230.41 £302 Return British Airways London Heathrow Hong Kong International
 
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some reason, please feel free to contact me.
 
The impact of current circumstances on TfL’s resources means we are not able to answer FOI requests readily and we ask that you please do not make a request to us at present.
 
Answering FOI requests will require the use of limited resources and the attention of staff who could be supporting other essential activity. In any event, please note that our response time will be affected by the current situation.
 
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

Yours sincerely

Gemma Jacob
Senior FOI Case Officer
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London

[email protected]