Request ID: FOI-0916-2223 Date published: 10 August 2022
You asked
I am emailing you under the Freedom Of Information Act 2000 to request if you may please attach a copy of your network map in .ai file format.
This is the maps that i am referring to:
https://tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/standard-tube-map.pdf
https://tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/london-rail-and-tube-services-map.pdf
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-0916-2223
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 16 July 2022, asking for a copy of TfL’s network maps in .ai file format.
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 do hold the maps in Illustrator ‘ai’ format. However in accordance with the FOI Act, we are not obliged to supply them in this format as they are subject to a statutory exemption to the right of access to information under section 43(2)- Commercial Interests.
We do not fully own the intellectual property right (IPR) as the maps contain Ikea IPR features. Therefore they’re exempt from disclosure under section 43(2), which applies to disclosure of information that would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of any person. Disclosure in this format would be harmful to Ikea through disclosure of their own IPR as well as harmful to ours through any remedial action Ikea may seek to take as a result of the release. If public authorities were unable to offer some protection for third party intellectual property, the likely outcome would be that it would constitute an actionable breach of contract and would be likely to result in a valid legal claim against us. We wish to protect our commercial interests and ability to participate in future commercial activity. The disclosure of this information would be to the detriment of present and future business activities for both parties.
The use of this exemption is subject to an assessment of the public interest in relation to the disclosure of the information concerned. We have considered the public interest in disclosure and there appears to be little benefit to the public in the release of these maps that are exactly the same, albeit in a different format, as the maps displayed and downloadable on our website at https://tfl.gov.uk/maps/track/tube. We recognise the need for openness and transparency by public authorities but in this instance the public interest is outweighed by the potential damage that would be done to TfL and/or Ikea’s commercial interests.
