Request ID: FOI-1080-2122 Date published: 20 September 2021
You asked
I request a copy of the table of contents for the Network Emergency Plan, the Jubilee Line Emergency Plan and the Westminster Station Congestion Control & Emergency Plan. I would like to receive these in a format accessible to a screenreader (e.g. not a scanned PDF).
I am happy for you — and would, in fact, encourage you — to make whatever redactions you require in the interests of operational or commercial sensitivity. I would ask that you consider redactions to whatever extent they are necessary, as opposed to withholding the document entirely.
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-1080-2122
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 23 August 2021, asking for a copy of the table of contents for the Network Emergency Plan, the Jubilee Line Emergency Plan and the Westminster Station Congestion Control & Emergency Plan.
Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require.
There is no table of contents for the Network Emergency Plan and the Westminster Station Congestion Control & Emergency Plan.
The Jubilee Line Emergency Plan has pages of contents, however, in accordance with the FOI Act, we are not obliged to supply them as they are subject to statutory exemptions to the right of access to information, under Section 38(1)(b). This exemption has been applied as disclosure of this information could adversely affect the safety and security of TfL employees and members of the general public.
Whilst we make no suggestion that you would use this information for anything other than you own personal interest, disclosure of this information to you has to be regarded as a disclosure to ‘the public at large’. This information could potentially be obtained and utilised by individuals who may wish to use this information to cause disruption or harm to the London Underground network.
The information contained in the table of contents may seem harmless, however the issue is whether combining it with other information that’s already in the public domain will cause harm. The London Underground is iconic, carrying millions of passengers every day and we know from bitter experience that it is a target for terrorists. If London Underground revealed information about its plans to deal with emergency incidents, and its preparedness, we could find that this information is used by terrorists to help plan an attack and pre-empt the response actions of London Underground. Our emergency plans contain information that is not otherwise in the public domain, and that information could be used to assess and identify vulnerabilities and/or specific targets for terrorist action. The safety of our customers and staff could be put at risk if our emergency plans or extracts of them were to be revealed.
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 the public interest in applying the exemption, in order to minimise risks to operational resilience, safe operation of the London Underground network, the welfare of staff and members of the general public, outweighs the public interest in disclosure.
If you are not satisfied with this response please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely
Eva Hextall FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
