We are renewing our CCTV system in trams and metro (vehicles) and that’s why I’m asking some questions about your CCTV system. How old is your CCTV system and which company has manufactured it? Is there CCTV system in every vehicle? What kind of cameras do you use? Dome, 360⁰? Is there any blindsides on your vehicles? I mean that you have installed cameras but there is still some blindsides. How do you save your video files? Mechanical hard disks/recorders, cloud computing? Does your CCTV system help you in accidents/violence cases/vandalism cases? Do you send video clips for example to police?

---

TfL Ref: 1530-1819

Thank you for your email received by us on 6 September 2018 asking for information about CCTV on London Trams.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.  I can confirm that we hold the information you require.

However, in accordance with the FOI Act we are not obliged to supply the information as it is subject to a statutory exemption to the right of access to information under sections 31(1)(b), section 31(1)(g) and section 38(1)(b) of the Act. In this instance the exemption has been applied as disclosure of the information you have requested which includes information on where the blind spots are on the trams would be likely to endanger the safety and security of TfL employees and members of the general public as well as being likely to prejudice the apprehension or prosecution of offenders or the exercise of functions for the purpose of ascertaining whether any person has failed to comply with the law.

Disclosures made under the FOI Act are deemed to be a ‘disclosure to the world at large’ and whilst we make no suggestion that you would use this information for anything other than your own personal interests, it could be used by individuals who wish to commit crimes or cause harm or disruption to our customers, staff and network.  

The use of this exemption is subject to an assessment of the public interest in relation to the disclosure of the information concerned. Whilst we recognise that there are individual and personal interests in understanding the workings of the transport network and the the need for openness and transparency by public authorities, in this instance we consider that the public interest in applying the exemption, in order to avoid any compromise to the safety and security of the general public when using the rail network and to train operating staff outweighs the public interest in disclosure.   Additionally in light of the current treat levels in the UK being classed as severe by MI5, the public interest in protecting individuals and infrastructure is very high and our upmost priority.

In applying this exemption we have taken into account the  case considered by the Information Commissioner in Decision Notice FS50607218 which was issued on 17 March 2016. The Commissioner upheld both the application of the exemption and the balance of the public interest. We consider the same arguments apply to your request.

If you are not satisfied with this response please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

Yours sincerely

Sara Thomas

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

[email protected]

Back to top

---