FOI request detail

Announcements

Request ID: FOI-1496-1920
Date published: 10 September 2019

You asked

I frequently use the London Transport services and wondered whether I could request the announcements on the following things: -Croydon Tramlink onboard announcements -Ferry Services (Riverbus Ferries) -Ferry Services(Woolwich Ferries) -London Overground onboard announcements (for all classes of train) -London Overground station announcements -London Underground onboard & station announcements (I have announcements for Jubilee, Piccadilly & Northern lines - I understand you have licensing contracts for District, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan & Circle line trains - I wondered if I could get the announcements for the remaining lines) -TFL Rail onboard/station announcements -Crossrail class 345 onboard announcements

We answered

FOI Request – FOI-1496-1920

Thank you for your email received on 16 August 2019, asking for Croydon Tramlink, River boats and Woolwhich ferry services, London Overground, London Underground and TfL Rail (Crossrail) announcements.

Your request has been processed in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and TfL’s information access policy. I can confirm we do hold the information you require.

Please find the enclosed CD containing some of the requested announcements, including Tramlink, London Overground, River boats and ferry services, TfL Rail (Crossrail) and some London Underground announcements, including Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines (JNP).

However, in accordance with the FOI Act, TfL is not obliged to supply the audio files for the rest of the lines, including District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines, as they are subject to a statutory exemption to the right of access to information under section 43(2).

In this instance section 43(2) has been applied as disclosure of the information requested would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of TfL and/or Global Services Ltd. Unlike the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly line recordings that were supplied by Ketech, the rest of the recordings were provided to London Underground from Global Services Ltd under a signed contract which contained explicit conditions concerning disclosure and distribution.

The contract specifies that the recordings are solely to be used for the purpose for which they were created and for broadcast on the London Underground network only. If TfL were to disclose these recordings in response to an FOI request, it would constitute an actionable breach of contract and would be likely to result in a valid legal claim against London Underground or the license to use the recordings being withdrawn, which would impose additional, unnecessary, costs. TfL wishes to protect its commercial interests and ability to participate in future commercial activity. The disclosure of this information would be to the detriment of present and future business activities for both parties.

The use of this exemption is subject to an assessment of the public interest in relation to the disclosure of the information concerned. TfL recognises the need for openness and transparency within public authorities and the degree of public interest concerning London transport announcements. However, in this instance this is outweighed by the damage that would be done to TfL’s ability to use these recordings and any future contractual negotiations that may take place regarding the London Underground announcements.

Please note that while access to the announcements has been provided to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, you are not granted any rights to any of the intellectual property that exists in it or granted any permission to make secondary uses of it. TfL owns all intellectual property (including, without limitation, copyright) in the material supplied and will defend such rights.

If you wish to make any secondary use of the material provided, you must first obtain the consent of TfL (which may be withheld) and, if consent is granted, a fee may be charged, in accordance with the terms of the Reuse of Public Sector Information Regulations 2005.

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please see the enclosed 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

 

 

 

 

Eva Hextall

FOI Case Officer

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