Request ID: FOI-0770-2122 Date published: 06 August 2021
You asked
I would like to know details on the press reported hijacking and damage to busses in central London following the England Denmark football matchWhat damage was caused etcWere any drivers assaulted?Has anyone been arrested in connection with the appalling incident ?Who will pay for the damage?Will the taxpayer be liable etc ?
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-0770-2122
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 10th July 2021 asking for information about damage to buses in central London following the England vs Denmark football match.
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 know details on the press reported hijacking and damage to busses in central London following the England Denmark football match:
What damage was caused etc Were any drivers assaulted? Has anyone been arrested in connection with the appalling incident ? Who will pay for the damage? Will the taxpayer be liable etc?”
TfL only holds a limited amount of information in relation to your request. Between the hours of 22.00 and midnight on 7th July 2021 we received details from bus drivers of 13 incidents of anti-social behaviour. These incidents ranged from damage to vehicles (broken mirrors, rails, wipers, side windows and two broken windscreens), people climbing on buses, verbal abuse and one physical assault of a driver (a liquid substance poured on the driver). No injuries to drivers were reported.
Note that TfL does not directly operate and maintain buses in London, nor do we employ the drivers. Rather, this is the responsibility of the private operators that run the services under contract with TfL. The operators would carry out and pay for any necessary repairs.
The Metropolitan Police may hold different information to us, particularly on crime, and you may therefore wish to re-direct some of your questions to them. FOIs to the Metropolitan Police can be made via its website here:
TfL would fully support any police action taken against perpetrators and we have encouraged the police to identify those responsible.
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
