Freedom of Information request - Specify who these people or this group are
Request ID: FOI-1325-2223 Date published: 21 September 2022
You asked
Dear Transport for London,
I note with interest that your 2030 vision publication:
https://content.tfl.gov.uk/bus-action-plan.pdf
contains a paragraph from which I quote:
"We also understand that the bus
network does not always feel like a low
crime environment. Women, disabled,
young, Black, Asian and minority ethnic
Londoners are all more likely to report
feeling worried about their personal
security when using public transport and are more likely to have experienced a worrying incident than other Londoners.
These are also the customers that are
most reliant on buses to get around,
often with few alternative options.."
It would appear that the welfare of White male Londoners is of less concern than non-white persons and Women.
Apart from being discriminatory and antiwhite, where no other demographic appears to have been omitted I wish you to to show statistics that prove your claim that all but White males report their concerns more (rather than what appears to be an unsubstantiated claim in your publication).
The victimisation of any demographic is absolutely unacceptable as we would all agree, and I want to know if your policies do not offer the same dignity to all, including White males.
One scenario that springs to mind could involve a homosexual White male. Is that male seen as lesser in need of security and protection as non-whites (you specifically use capital letters in each case 'Black, Asian and minority ethnics' as though these people are favoured over unmentioned groups)?
If we were discussing actual perpetrators of problems on your services then this might flip your statement entirely and I am sure that this would never be highlighted.
However my point is as stated.
Please show factual proof of what I request and also specify what 'Londoners' means. That seems a publicity type label and would appear not to include non 'Londoners' using your services.
Also please specifically confirm that your 2030 policies are not antiwhite, and name the White race with the same dignity that all other races get including capitalisation for all to see in this public FOI request.
Thank you
We answered
TfL Ref: 1325-2223
Thank you for your request received by us on 27 August 2022 asking for information concerning an excerpt from Transport for London’s Bus Action Plan publication. Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.
We would like to advise that Transport for London treats the safety of all our customers as a matter of priority and has no bias towards any group or set of people.
The excerpt you have quoted from the Bus Action Plan regarding safety and security on our buses is based on a report called 'Understanding London’s Diverse Communities' that was published in 2019. A copy is available online here: https://content.tfl.gov.uk/travel-in-london-understanding-our-diverse-communities-2019.pdf. This is the relevant paragraph from the report which refers to data from the Transport for London (2017/18) Attitudes to Safety and Security – Annual Report:
'In 2017/18, on average 30 per cent of Londoners reported feeling very or quite worried about their personal security when using public transport. Disabled Londoners (37 per cent), young Londoners aged 16 to 24 years old (35 per cent), women (34 per cent) and BAME Londoners (33 per cent) are the most likely equality groups to be very or quite worried.'
You also ask about the use of the word 'Londoner'. The term refers to people who live in one of the London boroughs, who make up a large section of our customer base. Again, we do not favour any customer in terms of the location of their address.
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.
Yours sincerely
Jasmine Howard FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
