TfL staff passes
Request ID: FOI-2035-2021
Date published: 09 February 2021
You asked
F/on from FOI-1824
Many thanks for your reply dated 8th January. However this raises a number of other further questions.
1. I note the comments and opinions in your third paragraph but frankly they are, if the the reply to previous question 20 is correct only speculative and an opinion not a fact. Q1a. Would you please provide evidence to the claim “ . Historically, the total number of journeys made have been a tiny proportion of the 11 million Tube and bus journeys made per day, meaning no additional services need to be operated.”
Q1b. On what date or dates was the total number of journeys £11million per day. What has it been so far in 2021/21 year. Please breakdown by periods.
Q1c. What do contacts of employment say to justify your comment “long standing part of the terms and conditions. I believe this is untrue as the employment T&C’s specifically say this is non contractual. Please confirm.
Q1d. Even if the employee staff passes (Q1) are considered contractual please advise the contractual position on all other categories listed.
Q2 I note that in previous question 19 the numbers are the totality of the previous questions. However I’m informed that passes are also given to staff in some, non TfL family, train operating companies, particularly but not exclusively south west railway. Can you confirm this and to what train companies it applies to with the numbers broken down by staff, nominees, retired and retired nominees. Please confirm whether this is on a reciprocal basis and whether it’s considered contractual.
Q3. What other adult passengers (other than freedom or over 60’s) receive free travel and what is the quantity. I believe this applies to various police forces. Please confirm which forces and the quantities.
Q5. What is the qualification for receiving a PTAC for other family members.
Q6. You use the expression “vast majority”. What is the definition of “vast” and why do some receive it without the required service or age?
Q7. Who and when was it agreed that chief officers receive more favourable terms? Does this apply whether they retire or leave voluntarily? As the terms of employment of Chief Officers are reserved for the board and or its remuneration committee I cannot find any minute where this was approved. Please direct me to it if I’ve missed it.
Q8. Please indicate the quantity of PTAC’s in each of the previous groups 1-18
I look forward to hearing from you further with this information.
We answered
Our ref: FOI-2035-2021/GH
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 12 January 2021 asking for further information about staff passes.
Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold the information you require.
Q1. I note the comments and opinions in your third paragraph but frankly they are, if the the reply to previous question 20 is correct only speculative and an opinion not a fact. Q1a. Would you please provide evidence to the claim “ . Historically, the total number of journeys made have been a tiny proportion of the 11 million Tube and bus journeys made per day, meaning no additional services need to be operated.”
The attached spreadsheet shows the number of bus boardings and exits at rail stations for Smartcards (Oyster and Contactless Payment Cards) as totals and percentages by financial period, from 2017-20. The data presented is a count of taps on readers and not a measure of journeys. This data does not include records of journeys made using paper tickets or where no validation took place, such as children under 11 or journeys with no exit tap. It is important to note that number of taps made using Staff Oyster cards include those taps by members of station staff as they open the gate for customers or cross the gateline in the course of carrying out their duties.
Q1b. On what date or dates was the total number of journeys £11million per day. What has it been so far in 2021/21 year. Please breakdown by periods.
The table below shows the number of days in 2019/20 where more than 11m journeys were made on all our services. For awareness – Period 5 coincides with when schools are closed during summer holidays, Period 10 coincides with the Christmas holidays and Period 13 coincided with the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Due to the COVID19 pandemic and the government advice on restricting travel there have been no days in 2020/21 where we saw more than 11m journeys made on our services:
|
Period
|
Days
|
|
1
|
18
|
|
2
|
19
|
|
3
|
19
|
|
4
|
20
|
|
5
|
9
|
|
6
|
10
|
|
7
|
20
|
|
8
|
20
|
|
9
|
20
|
|
10
|
10
|
|
11
|
19
|
|
12
|
20
|
|
13
|
9
|
Q1c. What do contacts of employment say to justify your comment “long standing part of the terms and conditions. I believe this is untrue as the employment T&C’s specifically say this is non contractual. Please confirm.
I can confirm that staff passes are non-contractual, discretionary benefits and apologise for the incorrect information provided previously. Travel passes are a key recruitment and retention tool and are therefore referenced as part of job advertisements and employment packs. They are also regularly used by staff as part of their day-to-day roles on the network.
Their provision has been a long-standing part of the overall reward package given to both TfL employees and third parties such as bus operators since before TfL was formed in 2000.
Q1d. Even if the employee staff passes (Q1) are considered contractual please advise the contractual position on all other categories listed.
Please see Q1c.
Q2 I note that in previous question 19 the numbers are the totality of the previous questions. However I’m informed that passes are also given to staff in some, non TfL family, train operating companies, particularly but not exclusively south west railway. Can you confirm this and to what train companies it applies to with the numbers broken down by staff, nominees, retired and retired nominees. Please confirm whether this is on a reciprocal basis and whether it’s considered contractual.
These were included in the 3rd party numbers provided previously. This is a reciprocal agreement dating back to the 1999 Rail Agreement. These passes are non-contractual. They are not broken down by train company due to changes in franchises but overseen by the Rail Delivery Group.
Q3. What other adult passengers (other than freedom or over 60’s) receive free travel and what is the quantity. I believe this applies to various police forces. Please confirm which forces and the quantities.
The table below shows the number of active Oyster cards issued to serving police officers by force:
|
Pass
|
Number
|
|
BT Police
|
4,422
|
|
City of London Police
|
1,189
|
|
Met Police
|
41,402
|
|
Total
|
47,013
|
There are also 9,913 active Veterans Oyster cards. Further information, including the criteria for eligibility can be found here: https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/free-and-discounted-travel/veterans-oyster-photocard?intcmp=54722
Q4. I do not believe that TfL do not hold the answer to previous question 20. I was specifically NOT asking for this to be broken down to identifiable individual detail. I was simply asking for totals and I am assured that you do have that information.
This question is being handled under our Internal Review procedure, and will be responded to separately.
Q5. What is the qualification for receiving a PTAC for other family members.
There are 2 types of PTAC
1- All Rail PTAC which gives discounted travel on National Rail & TfL rail.
(as part of the 1999 Rail Agreement)
Eligibility
• • In service prior to 1.4.1996
• • Be partner/Spouse of employee/ex-employee
• • Live permanently at address
• • Dependants must be in full time education (age 5-25)
2- TfL Rail PTAC which gives discounted travel on TfL rail services to Dependants.
Eligibility
• • In service after 1.4.1996
• • Dependant must be in full time education (age 5 -25)
Q6. You use the expression “vast majority”. What is the definition of “vast” and why do some receive it without the required service or age?
The eligibility for a retired pass is that you are over 50 with 20+ years’ service. Exceptions to this are Chief Officers & Medical Retirements - where the person receives an enhanced pension and therefore the age doesn’t apply. The vast majority would mean everyone else.
Q7. Who and when was it agreed that chief officers receive more favourable terms? Does this apply whether they retire or leave voluntarily? As the terms of employment of Chief Officers are reserved for the board and or its remuneration committee I cannot find any minute where this was approved. Please direct me to it if I’ve missed it.
This policy was approved by the then Managing Director, Corporate Services, in conjunction with the Mayor of London. Effective from 1st June 2003. Chief Officers retain their travel passes when they leave employment (whether by retirement or resignation) provided they have been continuously employed for 12 months or more at the time of leaving.
Q8. Please indicate the quantity of PTAC’s in each of the previous groups 1-18
1. No of PTAC currently issued to TfL employees - 2009
2. No of PTAC currently issued to Partner of current TfL employees - 1215
3. No of PTAC currently issued to other dependants of TfL employees - 1287
4. No of retired PTAC currently issued to retired TfL employees - 11,311
5. No of partner PTAC currently issued to Partner of retired TfL employees - 8,554
6. No of other dependant PTAC currently issued to retired TfL employees - 250
7. No of PTAC currently issued to TfL board members - 0
8. No of PTAC currently issued to Partner of TfL board members - 0
9. No of PTAC currently issued to other dependants of TfL board members - 0
10. No of PTAC currently issued to former TfL board members - 0
11. No of PTAC currently issued to Partner of former TfL board members - 0
12. No of any other dependent PTAC currently issued to former TfL board members - 0
13. No of PTAC currently issued to employees of non-TfL companies in TfL family - 120
14. No of PTAC currently issued to Partner of employees of non-TfL companies in the TfL family - 64
15. No of other dependant PTAC currently issued to employees of non-TfL companies in the family - 52
16. No of retired PTAC currently issued to former employees of non-TfL companies in TfL family - 501
17. No of PTAC currently issued to Partner of retired employees of non-TfL companies in TfL family - 359
18 No of other dependant PTAC currently issued to dependants of retired employees of non-TfL companies in TfL family - 10
If this is not the information you are looking for, please do not hesitate to contact me.
If you are considering submitting a further FOI request please think carefully about whether the request is essential at this current time, as answering FOI requests will require the use of limited resources and the attention of staff who could be supporting other essential activity. Where requests are made, please note that our response time may be impacted by the current situation.
If you are not satisfied with this response please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely
Graham Hurt
FOI Case Officer
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London
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