Request ID: FOI-0980-2425 Date published: 19 July 2024
You asked
There is a mural painted on platform 5 of Whitechapel Station (Overground northbound) featuring two women wearing burqas.
Please tell me:
- When was this mural painted?
- Who painted it?
- Why was it commissioned?
- How much did it cost?
- Did TfL consult anyone on installing this mural?
- Was an equality, diversity and inclusion assessment carried out at any time during the process of commissioning/approving this mural?
- Which team within TfL did the proposal to do this come from?
- From which budget did the money come to pay for this mural?
- When was the mural unveiled and by whom?
- Did the mayor have any input in approving this project?
We answered
Our Ref: FOI-0980-2425
Thank you for your request received on 26 June 2024 asking for information about the mural on platform 5 at Whitechapel Station.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and our information access policy.
Unfortunately, to provide the information you have requested would exceed the ‘appropriate limit’ of £450 set by the FOI (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004.
Under section 12 of the FOI Act, we are not obliged to comply with a request if we estimate that the cost of determining whether we hold the information, locating and retrieving it and extracting it from other information would exceed the appropriate limit. This is calculated at £25 per hour for every hour spent on the activities described.
We have estimated that it would cost over £450 to provide a response to your current request. This is because it is estimated that it would take over 18 working hours to retrieve and compile the information you have requested.
The murals at this location were created in 1995, we believe they were commissioned in conjunction with some station improvements on this part of the line when it was still part of the East London Line. As the mural was created over 30 years ago it is likely that any information we hold will be held within the Corporate Archives. We have searched our catalogue for possible records that might relate to the project and have identified over 1300 entries that might hold some information regarding the mural. However, in order to determine whether they are relevant to your request we would need to recall and review each of the records.
We have attached a list of the results we think may be of the most use and you are welcome to visit our Corporate Archive to review these or any records yourself. Information on visiting our Archives can be found on our website:
With regard to your last question, I can confirm that the Mayor did not have any input in approving this project as the mural was installed prior to the position of Mayor of London existing.
To help bring the cost of responding to your request within the £450 limit, you may wish to consider narrowing its scope so that we can more easily locate, retrieve and extract the information you are seeking. If you want to refine your request or make a FOI Act request in future, please bear in mind that the FOI Act allows you to request recorded information held by us. You should identify the information that you want as clearly and concisely as you can, specifying the types of document that you are looking for.
Although your request can take the form of a question, rather than a request for specific documents, we do not have to answer your question if it would require the creation of new information or the provision of a judgement, explanation, advice or opinion that was not already recorded at the time of your request.
Please note that we will not be taking further action until we receive your revised request.
In the meantime, if you have any queries or would like to discuss your request, please do not hesitate to contact me.
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
