Request ID: FOI-1276-2324 Date published: 15 September 2023
You asked
I request the following information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in response to your recent communication on the above scheme on 12 July 2023:
• The decision paper including the date this was authorised internally and by whom with any related documents referred to inform the decision paper. Documents including but not limited to emails, meeting notes and policy documents.
The TFL Borough monitoring guidance for Healthy Streets schemes dated October 2021 clarifies the term ‘monitoring’ in this document refers to the process of collecting data to measure the impacts, benefits and disbenefits of a scheme. It also refers in section 6.9 Taxis, that taxis have a distinct legal status and should be considered within monitoring plans. Where a monitoring plan is collecting road user data, TfL recommends that a fully classified approach is taken in order to be able to understand the benefits and impacts of a scheme on taxi journeys, as well as other classes of traffic including private hire journeys if possible (see 3.3.2 All vehicle traffic counts). Where taxis are likely to be impacted, flow and classified turning count data that distinguishes taxis from other vehicles will show the scale of these impacts. Public surveys should seek to understand the outcomes of a scheme on taxi passengers, and particularly older and disabled people.
It appears clear in 3.3.2 the instruction is for quantitative assessment and it states in 6.3 for All-vehicle traffic counts, the quantitative assessment of general traffic flows and speeds may be necessary to evaluate the impact of certain schemes, particularly those aimed at restricting motorised traffic or improving safety. These can be classified (usually by vehicle type, e.g. LGV, HGV, taxi) and be conducted on links, junctions and as cordon, screenline, or turning counts.
Traffic counts can also be used to understand queues and delays at junctions, travel times and traffic speeds. Some of these can be done manually (through enumerators or video recordings) but most are automated using various technologies. Unlike the pedestrian and cycle counts, in this case the automated solutions tend to be sufficiently accurate (particularly when the aim is to understand motor vehicle flows and when accuracy on the number of cycles is not a main objective). When designing traffic counts it is important to choose enough carefully selected locations to be able to understand traffic displacement from some streets onto others and the overall impacts of the scheme beyond their immediate footprint. It is also important to classify by vehicle type to be able to understand the benefits and impacts of a trial scheme on all road users including taxi journeys.
So I also request the specific taxi/hackney carriage/black cab data referred to above used to inform the decision making process for the A10 Bishopsgate.
We answered
Our Ref: FOI-1276-2324
Thank you for your request received on 24 July 2023 asking for information about the A10 Bishopsgate.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold the information you require.
In August 2020, we introduced a series of temporary changes along the road in response to the pandemic, which were designed to make it safer and easier for people to walk, cycle and use public transport. Data from this period suggested that the changes played a vital role in supporting sustainable travel along the corridor. Data showed that the performance of buses on the Bishopsgate corridor has significantly improved and there was a significant increase in the number of people using the Bishopsgate scheme to cycle. Provisional safety data also showed a reduction in overall collisions. In July 2023 the changes made to the A10 Bishopsgate were made permanent in order to help create a healthier and more sustainable city for all Londoners by enabling more people to walk, cycle and use public transport. We remain committed to our Vision Zero goal of eliminating death and serious injury on the transport network.
You asked for:
The decision paper including the date this was authorised internally and by whom with any related documents referred to inform the decision paper. Documents including but not limited to emails, meeting notes and policy documents
Please see the attached folder which contains an email chain which outlines the decision. There are a number of documents attached to that email, including the Decision Note. The Scheme Monitoring report and Decision Note both explain the nature of the experiment undertaken and the criteria that we measured the experiment against.
In accordance with our obligations under Data Protection legislation some personal data has been removed, as required by regulation 13 of the EIRs. This is because disclosure of this personal data would be a breach of the legislation, specifically the first principle of Article 5 of the UK General Data Protection Regulation which requires all processing of personal data to be fair and lawful. It would not be fair to disclose this personal information when the individuals have no expectation it would be disclosed and TfL has not satisfied one of the conditions which would make the processing ‘fair’.
This exemption to the right of access to information is an absolute exemption and not subject to an assessment of whether the public interest favours use of the exemption.
So I also request the specific taxi/hackney carriage/black cab data referred to above used to inform the decision making process for the A10 Bishopsgate.
The quarterly monitoring reports have full classified data - including taxis, they are available on our website:
