Request ID: FOI-0685-2122 Date published: 20 July 2021
You asked
I would like to please request under the Freedom Of Information Act that you could please send the sound file of "City Thameslink" from your London Overground station announcements system please. This is the system that plays at stations such as Norwood Junction and other London Overground managed stations.
I understand that you have previously sent out CDs of these announcements but are currently unable to do so because of the Corona Virus currently. However as i am only asking you for this one sound file that says "City Thameslink" i think you should be able to just send me the MP3 file directly as i only need this one sound file only.
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-0685-2122
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 3rd July 2021 asking for a copy of a London Overground station announcement.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.
Specifically you asked:
“I would like to please request under the Freedom Of Information Act that you could please send the sound file of "City Thameslink" from your London Overground station announcements system please. This is the system that plays at stations such as Norwood Junction and other London Overground managed stations.
I understand that you have previously sent out CDs of these announcements but are currently unable to do so because of the Corona Virus currently. However as i am only asking you for this one sound file that says "City Thameslink" i think you should be able to just send me the MP3 file directly as i only need this one sound file only.”
I can confirm that we hold the information you require. However, your request is being refused under section 14(1) of the FOI Act, as we consider that providing the requested information would place an unreasonable burden on us at this time. While we are normally able to provide copies of announcements on CD format at the current time the FOI team remains working from home without access to our offices and the equipment we need to make CDs. We have looked at the possibility of isolating the announcement in question and providing it as an MP3 file as suggested, but due to the way the files are stored the only way of doing this would be for somebody to review each and every individual file which we do not believe would be a proportionate use of our time.
To be clear, it is the current context in which the request has been made that is central to our decision to apply the exemption. In particular, we consider the following elements of s14 apply in this instance:
• The request is likely to cause a disproportionate or unjustified level of disruption, irritation or distress in the current circumstances
• Lacks sufficient purpose or value in the current circumstances
• Overly burdensome in the current circumstances
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
