Request ID: FOI-1444-2122 Date published: 29 October 2021
You asked
Follow-up to FOI-1285-2122: I recall that you insisted I raise specific requests when I do not know how you keep your data. You now say you cannot answer that request because it is too wide-ranging. I hope this was not an intentional way of avoiding the underlying questions.
My request (spelt out, as you requested) came in four parts. You have responded in relation to (1) and (2). You have not responded in relation to (3) and (4). These queries are not answered by any previous request on your database.
As you are aware, the point of my request is to understand what changes you have made to the promotion of face covering policy and why. So you may have more context, when I go on trains (e.g. TfL rail, overground and trains along the Hammersmith and City, Circle and District Line routes) I see empty poster spaces where I used to see posters publicising the mask wearing policy. I have attached a photograph so you can understand what I mean. How do we get from there being a large number of posters on every service (about face coverings) to zero on every one (but no shortage or space for them)? This is not a rhetorical question. I’m looking for an answer. It seems to me that there must have been a policy change; a conscious decision.
Do I understand you to be saying there is no central TfL policy regarding policy messaging (and is there some document to show that it is not centralised)? If so, I am content for you to limit questions (3) and (4) to TfL Rail in the first instance.
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-1444-2122 Thank you for your further request of 4th October 2021 asking for information about the promotion of TfL’s face-covering policy on TfL Rail. Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. Specifically you asked for the following information, in relation to TfL Rail: “Minutes from all management meetings from August 2020 to August 2021 that concern either (a) the policy of advertising of TfL’s face covering policy across the network (and any changes thereto); or (b) the policy of enforcing TfL’s face covering policy (and any changes thereto)”
And; “All written policies and/or instructions to staff in relation to (a) publicity of the face covering policy and (b) enforcement of the face covering policy created between August 2020 and August 2021.” I can confirm that we hold the information you require. However, the term “management meetings” covers a wide number of different meetings across the organisation. It is not possible for us to source all such minutes for the year in question and then extract the relevant information within the section 12 costs limit - the application of which is as advised in my original response below. Nonetheless, we believe the most relevant meeting in relation to your request is the Senior Executive Team (SET) meeting, which is a high-level management meeting that has been considering TfL’s response to the pandemic. The relevant extracts from these meetings for the period August 2020 to August 2021 are attached. Note that given these discussions are high-level and not always specific to a particular mode, these extracts relate to all mention of face covering policy on any part of the TfL network. In relation to your second question, please see the folder attached that provides the information specific to TfL Rail.
Please note that the BTP figures referenced within the meeting minutes are national, and not specific to London and the South East. The BTP only reported force-wide data so the figures reflect enforcement carried out on both the LU network and rail services operated by train operating companies across the country.
From 19 July 2021, TfL staff no longer record passenger interactions regarding face coverings. However, between 4 July 2020 and 18 July 2021, TfL Enforcement Officers stopped 215,057 people from getting on our public transport services until they put on a face covering. Most complied by getting their face covering from their bag or pocket, putting it on correctly or purchasing one from a nearby shop. Additionally, 4,365 Fixed Penalty Notices have been issued by TfL’s Investigation and Prosecutions Team for face covering offences between 4 July 2020 and 18 July 2021. Customers cannot be fined or prosecuted for failing to comply with TfL’s conditions of carriage. To date, we have prosecuted 1,798 people for face covering offences.
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, David Wells FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
