FOI request detail

bicycle use and distribution of the Santander Cycle scheme in each station

Request ID: FOI-1680-1819
Date published: 17 October 2018

You asked

I would like to request information regarding bicycle use and distribution of the Santander Cycle scheme in each station. Specifically, I am interested in knowing how many bicycles are present in a station at some given time. For example, I would like to know how many bicycles were present at the cycle station in Park Lane, Hyde Park at 12:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., etc. I am hoping to get this data for all cycle stations around London.

We answered

TfL Ref: 1680-1819

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 24 September 2018 asking for information about our cycle hire scheme

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

Unfortunately, to provide the information you have requested would exceed the ‘appropriate limit’ of £450 set by the Freedom of Information (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004.

Under section 12 of the FOI Act, we are not obliged to comply with a request if we estimate that the cost of determining whether we hold the information, locating and retrieving it and extracting it from other information would exceed the appropriate limit. This is calculated at £25 per hour for every hour spent on the activities described.

We have estimated that it would significantly exceed the cost limit to provide a response to your current request. This is because the process involved in extracting a row of data for each docking station, for each hour of the day for a year would involve supplying almost 7 million rows of data. 

To help bring the cost of responding to your request within the £450 limit, you may wish to consider narrowing its scope so that we can more easily locate, retrieve and extract the information you are seeking, for example by asking about a specific docking station or a specific date and time. If you want to refine your request or make a Freedom of Information Act request in future, please bear in mind that the Freedom of Information Act allows you to request recorded information held by us. You should identify the information that you want as clearly and concisely as you can, specifying the types of document that you are looking for. You might also consider limiting your request to a particular period of time, geographical area or specific departments of the organisation.

Although your request can take the form of a question, rather than a request for specific documents, we do not have to answer your question if it would require the creation of new information or the provision of a judgement, explanation, advice or opinion that was not already recorded at the time of your request.

Please note that we will not be taking further action until we receive your revised request.

In the meantime, if you have any queries or would like to discuss your request, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

Yours sincerely

Sara Thomas

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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