Fines paid by ARL for station lifts out of service
Request ID: FOI-0842-2324 Date published: 11 July 2023
You asked
20.6.23 clarification:
Thanks for your email. Please could I have the data for last financial year? (22/23)
Please can you tell me the fines that Arriva rail London have paid to transport for London as penalties for station lifts being out of service and which lifts the fines relate to?
We answered
TfL Ref: 0842-2324
Thank you for your clarified request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 20 June 2023 asking for information about fines paid by ARL for out of service lifts for financial year 2022/23. The final due date was written as 18 June in error – this was meant to be 18 July – apologies for this error.
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 the information you require. You asked: Please can you tell me the fines that Arriva Rail London have paid to Transport for London as penalties for station lifts being out of service and which lifts the fines relate to for financial year 2022/23.
In accordance with the FOI Act, we are not obliged to supply the information requested as it is subject to a statutory exemption to the right of access to information under section 43(2).
In this instance the section 43(2) exemption has been applied as disclosure of the information you have requested about the value of fines paid by our concessionaire for London Overground - Arriva Rail London, (ARL) - would or would be likely to prejudice both our commercial interests, as well as those of ARL, respectively. Disclosure of this information would disadvantage ARL in their ability to participate in future competitive bidding processes for similar contracts with TfL and other organisations by potentially giving other prospective bidders an unfair negotiating advantage, as well as hinder TfL’s ability to obtain the best value for money for similar services in the future. Disclosure of this information is also likely to cause reputational damage to ARL thereby affecting their commercial position. Note also that this is particularly commercially sensitive at this current time as we are about to embark on a procurement exercise to tender the Concessions at the Elizabeth line and London Overground and the franchise at DLR.
The use of this exemption is subject to an assessment of the public interest in relation to the disclosure of the information concerned. We recognise the need for openness and transparency by public authorities, particularly where the expenditure of public money is concerned, but in this instance the public interest in ensuring that we are able to obtain the best value for public money outweighs the general public interest in increasing transparency of our processes.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely
Sara Thomas FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
