Our Ref:         FOI-0929-2021

Thank you for your request received on 28 August 2020 asking for information about penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued for bus lane contraventions.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm we do hold the information you require. You asked for:

In each of the last three financial years please state what the income was to TfL from fines levied to people who breached bus lane regulations?

Information about PCNs issued in London is published annually by the London Councils and is available on their website at:

https://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/parking-services/parking-and-traffic/parking-information-professionals/information

TfL recently increased its bus lane operational hours in order to increase journey time reliability, safety for certain vehicles and encourage the use of sustainable transport such as public transport and cycling. The value of payments received by TfL for PCNs issued for bus lane contraventions is shown in the table below. Please note the data is based on date of contravention rather than date of payment:

Year Amount Paid
2017/2018 £ 777,931
2018/2019 £ 751,098
2019/2020 £ 1,431,473

In the last financial year (19/20) which ten roads bus lanes were responsible for the issuing of the most tickets for breaches of bus lane regulations? Please give the name of all ten roads and the number of tickets issued in the year for those roads.

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 31 of the FOI Act, which relates to law enforcement. Specifically, we are refusing your request under section 31(1)(b), which relates to information whose disclosure would be likely to prejudice the apprehension or prosecution of offenders, and section 31(1)(g), which relates to information whose disclosure would be likely to prejudice the exercise by any public authority of its functions or any of the purposes listed in subsection 31(2) of the FOI Act. In this case, this is section 31(2)(a) – the purpose of ascertaining whether any person has failed to comply with the law.

The release of the requested data could enable drivers to conclude that some locations are less likely to be enforced, which would let those who drive in restricted bus lanes avoid penalty charges for doing so. Disclosure of this information to you has to be regarded as a disclosure to ‘the public at large’.

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, but in this instance feel that balance lies in favour of withholding the information to ensure that we are able to manage traffic on the TfL Road Network. It would be strongly against the public interest to release any information that would undermine this. We consider that the release of this information would lead to increased traffic problems as some motorists may seek to take advantage of the information by using bus lanes in areas that we do not currently enforce, and therefore delaying bus services. This would in turn have a further effect that TfL would have to divert further resources to enforcing more zones, which would be likely to involve increased staff and direct costs. It would not be in the public interest to limit TfL’s ability to make the most efficient use of its limited funds in this manner.

If this is not the information you are looking for please feel free to contact me.

If you are considering submitting a further FOI request please think carefully about whether the request is essential at this current time, as answering FOI requests will require the use of limited resources and the attention of staff who could be supporting other essential activity. Where requests are made, please note that our response time may be impacted by the current situation.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

Yours sincerely

Gemma Jacob
Senior FOI Case Officer
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London

[email protected]