Our Ref:         FOI-1029-1718

Thank you for your request received on 1 August 2017 asking for information about complaints made about trams.

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:

The name and type of system TfL uses to log complaints from tram customers and the different categories it can list complaints under? E.g. speeding, driver asleep, driver rudeness etc.

Can I also have a list of customer complaints about the tram network since January 2016.

We used a system called SAP CRM to log complaints, this changed to Microsoft Dynamics a few months ago. Please note that Tram Operations Limited (TOL) no longer respond to customers direct. There are occasional complaints made in person to the Tram shop, but these are forwarded to TfL to respond. Complaints relating to trams are currently recorded against several categories, including staff and safety concern (broken down into fatigue, mobile phone, other, overcrowding, speeding, traffic lights/junction).

The requested complaints data is exempt from disclosure as it is subject to a statutory exemption to the right of access to information under Section 31(1)(g) of the FOI Act, which relates to information whose disclosure would be likely to prejudice the exercise by any public authority of its functions for any of the purposes listed in subsection 31(2) of the FOI Act. In this instance, the relevant purposes are 31(2)(c) ‘the purpose of ascertaining whether circumstances which would justify regulatory action in pursuance of any enactment exist or may arise’; 2(e), ‘the purpose of ascertaining the cause of an accident’; 2(i) ‘the purpose of securing the health, safety and welfare of persons at work’ and 2(j) ‘the purpose of protecting persons other than persons at work against risk to health or safety arising out of or in connection with the actions of persons at work’. The public authorities concerned are the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB), the British Transport Police (BTP), the Office of Road and Rail (ORR) and ourselves, as we are still currently conducting investigations into the incident of 9 November.

The investigations into the circumstances of the crash and its underlying cause and whether there have been any criminal or health and safety offences have not concluded; disclosure of information about complaints could prejudice the investigations. The requested information will therefore be of relevance to the investigations as they progress. The release of this information to the wider public at this time would be prejudicial to the investigators’ ability to gather, assess and validate information which they require in order to complete their work.

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 that there is considerable public interest in the safe operation of the tram network and, in particular, in the events of 9 November and the factors that may have contributed to the incident. We recognise that transparency and public access to information will help satisfy that interest. At the same time we consider that this public interest will be largely met by the RAIB, who will publish a report on completion of their investigation and have already published an interim report, as well as the final, public, outcome of the investigations by the ORR and BTP.

There is also a considerable public interest in ensuring that the investigations underway are able to reach conclusions, and recommend appropriate actions, that take full account of all available material. The publication of information that is under consideration by the investigators, and which may contribute to speculation about the causes of the crash, would be likely to prejudice the timely conclusion of those investigations and any proceedings that may arise from them. On balance, and taking into account the fact that the current investigations remain live, we consider that the public interest supports the application of the exemption in this case.

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

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

Yours sincerely

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

[email protected]