Request ID: FOI-1970-2223 Date published: 07 December 2022
You asked
Please provide the following information regarding the southbound 261 route diversion between August 2022 to October 2022, along Burnt Ash Hill, as a result of roadworks at the A205/Baring Road junction:
1) The date on which you became aware a diversion was necessary
2) The date on which a decision on the necessary route was agreed
3) All recorded information, communications, and discussions between the dates in 1) and 2) above regarding the need for a diversion, the options available, and the route chosen.
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-1970-2223
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 10th November 2022 asking for information about the diversion of bus route 261.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.
Specifically you asked:
“Please provide the following information regarding the southbound 261 route diversion between August 2022 to October 2022, along Burnt Ash Hill, as a result of roadworks at the A205/Baring Road junction:
1) The date on which you became aware a diversion was necessary
2) The date on which a decision on the necessary route was agreed
3) All recorded information, communications, and discussions between the dates in 1) and 2) above regarding the need for a diversion, the options available, and the route chosen.”
I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require.
In answer to both Questions 1 and 2, the date was 28th July 2022. In answer to Question 3, the discussions took place verbally and no written records are held. Our Network Management and Control Centre (the team that determined both the need for a diversion and the route) tell me that the route chosen was the only one available without a very lengthy diversion for the affected buses which would have caused a serious degradation to the service. We appreciate the frustrations with this closure and the problems that it caused for our passengers. Diverting a route for this length of time without suitable alternative boarding and alighting arrangements is something we try to avoid. However, in this case there was no suitable alternative.
If this is not the information you are looking for 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
