Request ID: FOI-1684-2425 Date published: 04 September 2024
You asked
Dear Transport for London,
1) Please provide the most up to date information regarding the number of associated vehicles (fleet size) for each private hire operator registered by TFL. Please specify the date used and list all the operators by name.
2) Please provide the most up to date information regarding the number of associated drivers for each private hire operator registered by TFL. Please specify the date used and list all the operators by name.
3) Please provide the number of associated vehicles with Addison Lee over each of the previous five years, separated by year, in the final week of each financial year. Please use the same date for each year and specify the date used.
4) Please provide the number of associated drivers with Addison Lee over each of the previous five years, separated by year, in the final week of each financial year. Please use the same date for each year and specify the date used.
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-1684-2425
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 21st August 2024 asking for information about private hire operators. Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.
Specifically you asked:
“1) Please provide the most up to date information regarding the number of associated vehicles (fleet size) for each private hire operator registered by TFL. Please specify the date used and list all the operators by name.
2) Please provide the most up to date information regarding the number of associated drivers for each private hire operator registered by TFL. Please specify the date used and list all the operators by name.
3) Please provide the number of associated vehicles with Addison Lee over each of the previous five years, separated by year, in the final week of each financial year. Please use the same date for each year and specify the date used.
4) Please provide the number of associated drivers with Addison Lee over each of the previous five years, separated by year, in the final week of each financial year. Please use the same date for each year and specify the date used.” I can confirm that we hold the information you require. However, I am afraid that the requested information is exempt from disclosure under sections 41 (“information provided in confidence”) and 43(2) (“prejudice to commercial interests”) of the FOI Act. In this instance the section 41 exemption has been applied as disclosure of the information you have requested was provided to TfL by a third party (the private operators) in confidence. The information is not in the public domain, and there was not a reasonable expectation that the information would be made public by TfL. Therefore we consider that disclosure would constitute an actionable breach of confidence, the measure by which the exemption applies. We also consider that the section 43(2) exemption is engaged as disclosure of the number of drivers and vehicles per operator would allow other operators to see data about their competitors’ driver pool and fleet sizes. This would provide an insight into other company’s operations which would be of commercial interest to other operators, potentially to their competitors detriment. As a “qualified” exemption, the use of this exemption is subject to an assessment of the public interest in relation to the disclosure of the information concerned. We recognise the need for openness and transparency by public authorities, but in this instance the section 43(2) exemption has been applied as it would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of private hire operators, and enable their competitors to access useful information about them which would potentially reduce the competitiveness of the private hire market. This could ultimately have a bearing on the value for money private hire vehicle users may expect to achieve from using the service and may overall negatively affect market forces shaping the private hire business in London. Note that an Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) decision in a similar case has previously been taken in our favour, which can be viewed via the following link: https://ico.org.uk/media/action-weve-taken/decision-notices/2017/2172517/fs50676040.pdf More general information about the taxi and private hire trade which you may find useful can be found on our website here: https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/taxis-and-private-hire/ Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely,
David Wells FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
