I am writing to request information regarding a specific bus lane which is situated and starts at the north western kerb line of Penton Rise WC1 and finishes at the western wall of 277 Pentonville Rd N1. This Bus lane allows cycles and local buses and excludes Taxis. The wording of the current TFL Bus Lane Policy is to “allow for taxis in all bus lanes unless their inclusion would cause significant delay to buses or would materially worsen the safety of road users including pedestrians, and taking account of the effects on safety of excluding taxis from the bus lane”. In deciding the taxi exclusion, TfL would have the need to consider/adhere to this policy. I would be obliged if you would supply/ provide me with the data, studies or information etc that supports the decision to exclude taxi access, whether the exclusion is due to significant delay or worsen the safety of road users.

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Our ref: FOI-2141-2021/GH

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 22 January 2021 asking for information about bus lanes.

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 some of the information you require.

This bus lane was implemented before TfL took responsibility of the red routes, and the access arrangements determined when the lane was originally installed. Therefore we do not hold the information requested as TfL were not responsible for deciding the taxi exclusion. TfL undertook a review of taxis access to bus lanes in 2016 and a considerable number were converted to allow taxi access as a result of that review.

In regard to this bus lane on Pentonville Road, it was considered as part of the review and our operational assessment was that allowing taxis to access this bus lane could potentially increase delays to buses using this bus lane. We have particular concerns at the western end in the Kings Cross gyratory, due to the constraints of capacity and complex traffic signal arrangements. We therefore took the decision that further investigation work was required and agreed this would be undertaken as part of the Kings Cross transformational scheme study. This scheme did not move forward to the advanced stages of modelling and design, and therefore this evaluation work has not taken place.

In order to make any changes to access into this bus lane, we would need to conduct a study to understand the operational and safety impacts of changing the current access arrangements. Due to current funding constraints we are not able to commit to undertaking this work at the current time.

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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