RE: FOI request for Highway Inspection Information following incident in Bishopgate London 3 Dec 2022
Request ID: FOI-0839-2425 Date published: 01 July 2024
You asked
Follow-up to FOI-1911-2324:
Thank you for your prompt response and providing the information requested. Whilst I appreciate the GDPR stance, can you please at least tell me to what level had the Inspector been trained in Highway defect identification?
Could you also provide further details of the inspection that took place on the 2/12/22, the day before my incident. I would like to see evidence of what was actually identified, including any photographs, and the priority assigned to that repair in line with TFL Asset Management principles.
Given the location of this defect and known footfall in the area, I would have expected a different response given the level of risk. If the area had been made safe awaiting a permanent repair then I would not have had my incident.
I look forward to receiving further information as requested.
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-0839-2425
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 11th June 2024 asking for information about a highway inspection following an incident in Bishopsgate on 3rd December 2022. Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.
Specifically you asked:
“Whilst I appreciate the GDPR stance, can you please at least tell me to what level had the Inspector been trained in Highway defect identification?
Could you also provide further details of the inspection that took place on the 2/12/22, the day before my incident. I would like to see evidence of what was actually identified, including any photographs, and the priority assigned to that repair in line with TFL Asset Management principles.
Given the location of this defect and known footfall in the area, I would have expected a different response given the level of risk. If the area had been made safe awaiting a permanent repair then I would not have had my incident.”
I can confirm that we hold the information you require.
Safety inspections are undertaken by suitably trained and accredited staff, holding a City & Guilds 6033 – Unit 311 qualification and included in the national Register of Highway Inspectors (as per 3351AR ‘Safety Inspections’ Clause 2). Please find attached HMPF Safety Inspection – Contract Clauses, which are the safety inspection related clauses extracted from the contract and highlighted in yellow are some of the relevant clauses regarding the request.
The attached spreadsheets detail the inspection and defects records for the entire road section of 0000A10__2/00090; this includes the footway outside the public house. TfL identified a single defect at the junction of Bishopsgate and Artillery Lane, in the southbound direction. This location is approximately 50 meters from Dicks Public House – photo provided below:
Please note that TfL does not hold any photos of the footway outside the Public House from the inspection conducted on 02/12/22. Our policy is to only take photos when a defect is identified. As previously mentioned, no defects were recorded outside Dirty Dicks Public House on that particular day.
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, 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,
David Wells FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
