TfL Ref: 0641-1718

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 8 June 2017 asking for information about the provision of bottled water on TfL Rail.

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 some of the information you require. You asked:

The number of occasions in each of the last three years where Transport for London and TFL Rail have provided customers using the TFL Rail service with bottled water, if available I would like the information to include the dates on which water was handed out and the reason. I would also like a list of at what stations these items were handed out.

The number of occasions in each of the last three years where Transport for London and TFL Rail have provided customers using the TFL Rail service with ice lollys, if available I would like the information to include the dates on which I've lollys were handed out and the reason. I would also like a list of at what stations these items were handed out. 

The number of occasions in each of the last three years where Transport for London and TFL Rail have provided customers using the TFL Rail service with any other consumable item (such as canned carbonated drinks), if available I would like the information to include what consumable items were handed out, the dates on which the items were handed out and the reason. I would also like a list of at what stations these items were handed out.

The cost of providing bottled water for TFL Rail customers in each of the last three years, broken down by year.

The cost of providing ice lollys for TFL Rail customers in each of the last three years, broken down by year.

The cost of providing canned carbonated drinks for TFL Rail customers in each of the last three years, broken down by year.

The cost of providing any consumable item for TFL Rail customers in each of the last three years, broken down by year.

Response

We began managing the Liverpool Street to Shenfield rail service in May 2015. Currently operating as TfL Rail, this service will form the part of the Elizabeth line which opens fully in December 2019. MTR Crossrail Ltd is the train operator appointed to manage and operate trains and stations on a day-to-day basis.

Items distributed at TfL Rail stations have been paid for entirely by the operator MTR Crossrail, and TfL consequently does not hold most of the information you have requested.

However, we have been in contact with MTR Crossrail and in order to provide advice and assistance, we are able to provide the following figures on the estimated number of items given out by MTR Crossrail since May 2015 as follows:  

Approximately 43,000 bottles of water have been given out since starting service across all stations in May 2015. This has mainly taken place at Liverpool Street station during periods of hot weather.

Some other items have been given out by MTR Crossrail as part of customer engagement to align with other train operating companies who participate in similar activities‎ and to improve the overall customer experience. Some of the items have been given away as part of a seasonal celebration such as Easter and Christmas.   We are able to provide you with the following approximate figures which have been supplied to us by MTR Crossrail:

If this is not the information you are looking for, 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