FOI request detail

TFL FOI/EIR request about congestion in Brompton Road and Knightsbridge

Request ID: FOI-2150-1617
Date published: 11 July 2017

You asked
I am writing on behalf of Clean Air in London (CAL) to request information under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004/Freedom of Information Act 2000. In order to assist you with this request, I am outlining my query as specifically as possible. *** Background to my request *** CAL is submitting evidence and making representations to the Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Forum's consultation on its draft development plan: http://www.knightsbridgeforum.org/planning/consultation/ CAL is keen to comment on the proposed designation of a Neighbourhood Stress Area in Brompton Road and Knightsbridge (the road). *** Primary purpose of request *** I wish to understand the evidence held by TfL about congestion of any sort in Brompton Road (between Montpelier Street and Sloane Street) and Knightsbridge (ie the road between the Hyde Park Barracks and Albert Gate) between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2016. In particular, I am keen to understand evidence for different modes of transport including pedestrian, traffic and public transport congestion e.g. how often has the Harrods entrance of Knightsbridge tube station been closed due to overcrowding. You will appreciate that this request relates to the control of harmful emissions to air and their impact on public health. You are also likely to be aware of the overwhelming public interest in this issue. *** Examples of types of information *** I would be interested in any information held by TfL relating to my request. I would be grateful to receive the information in tabulated form. I understand I do not have to specify particular files or documents and that it is TfL's responsibility to provide the information I require. If you need further clarification, please contact me by email I would like to receive the information in electronic and paper form please. I would be pleased to discuss the collection/delivery arrangements for such paper copies. If my request is denied in whole or in part, I ask that you justify all deletions by reference to specific exemptions of the act. I will also expect you to release all non-exempt material. I reserve the right to appeal your decision to withhold any information or to charge excessive fees. If you plan to charge for this information, I would ask that you pay particular attention to the ruling on fees made by the Information Tribunal on 28 March 2006: Mr David Markinson v. Information Commissioner. This decision makes clear that public authorities cannot charge an unreasonable amount for environmental information. It directed King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council to overturn their charging structure and adopt instead a price of 10p per photocopied A4 page. Section 44 of the Tribunal decision states that a public authority can only exceed the guide price if it can demonstrate a good reason to do so, and in considering whether any such reason exists the public authority should: i. take due regard of the guidance set out in the Code of Practice on the discharge of the obligations of public authorities under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 and the Guidance to the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, both published by Defra, to the effect that any charge should be at a level that does not exceed the cost of producing the copies; ii. disregard any costs, including staff costs, associated with the maintenance of the information in question or its identification or extraction from storage; and iii. disregard any factors beyond the number and size of sheets to be copied, in particular, the real or perceived significance of the content, or the effect that any charging structure may have on TfL's revenue or its staff workload.

We answered

TfL Ref: FOI-2150-1617

 

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 3 February 2017 asking for information about congestion around Knightsbridge.

 

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations and our information access policy. I can confirm we hold some of the information you require.

 

The Knightsbridge, Brompton Road and Sloane Street area currently forms part of a major traffic signalling strategy to manage the challenging combination of works taking place on Knightsbridge and Brompton Road. Due to the lane restrictions in both directions, including the westbound bus lane and outside the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, it is currently necessary to run contingency traffic signal timings to assist traffic on Knightsbridge itself. This prevents regular queues developing towards the strategically important location of Hyde Park Corner, Piccadilly Underpass and Brompton Road. Traffic signal engineers regularly review the balance of green time in this area and have developed a strategy which best reduces the impacts of the works whilst managing competing demands.

 

Attached is the latest borough delay map that we have available for this area, it includes annualised data for 2014/15 and shows the average weekday delay (traffic) seen in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. We are still in the process of compiling and collating the 2015/16 data and so, in accordance with Regulation 12(4)(d) we are not obliged to provide this information at this stage because the information is incomplete and in draft form.

 

The use of this exception is subject to the public interest test and, while we acknowledge the general presumption in favour of disclosure and the interest in our work to manage traffic and congestion in London, we feel that the balance of public interest lies in favour of withholding the information at this time to ensure that the information released into the public domain is fully verified and accurate to ensure that there is no adverse effect on local residents or businesses through misinterpretation or inaccuracy of the data available at this time. We anticipate this information to be available by the end of March, at which point we would be happy to disclose this information.

 

Please also see attached a spreadsheet detailing congestion control incidents at Knightsbridge station. When busy, generally during times of service disruption or events, the station may be subject to congestion control and part of this involves holding customers at one or more entrances. The station is still open but customer entry is restricted to avoid overcrowding on the platforms.

 

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some reason, 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

 

Lee Hill

Senior FOI Case Officer

 

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

 

Attachments

2150

CSV

FOI-2150-1617 (2)

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