Our ref:           FOI-2207-1617 / FOI-0162-1718

Thank you for your emails received on 10 February 2017 asking for documents relating to the 2008 tram and bus crash in Croydon and on 24 April 2017 asking for communications between TfL, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) and the Department for Transport (DfT) relating to that crash.
 
Your requests have been considered under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and our information access policy. I can confirm we hold some information relating to your requests. I apologise for the delay in our reply. You asked for:
 
I’m hoping to get any documents relating and including a review of buses that happened in relation to the 2008 tram and bus crash in Croydon. When I spoke to the press office they said a review was conducted of the vehicle specification of the bus fleet after the crash and after “learning points” noted by the Rail Accident Investigation Board (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/547c900eed915d4c1000016d/090107_B012009_Croydon_v2.pdf)
 
I’d like to request a copy of any communications between Transport for London, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) and the Department for Transport about a 2009 RAIB bulletin (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/547c900eed915d4c1000016d/090107_B012009_Croydon_v2.pdf) or any communications about the September 2008 bus and tram crash in George Street in Croydon.
 
Please see the attached information we have been able to locate regarding the September 2008 incident, this includes a report of our investigation into the incident. At the time the report was prepared, investigations into the incident were also being conducted by the Metropolitan Police Service and the RAIB which meant the extent of our investigation was limited, as described in our report. We have not identified any information we hold specifically on the subject of a review of the vehicle specification for buses and their window glass carried out following the 2008 collision. Our standard retention period for most recorded information relating to the operation of the transport network is seven years, (after which time, important information may be selected for permanent preservation in our Corporate Archives).
 
Some redactions have been made to the attached documents in accordance with the 1998 Data Protection Act and section 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act, which applies to personal data. It is standard practice to test drivers of public service vehicles for drugs or alcohol, both through unannounced random testing and following a safety incident. The results of drug and alcohol tests relate to that individual’s health and are classified as Sensitive Personal Data by the Data Protection Act. Since the Data Protection Act restricts the release of Sensitive Data under the Freedom of Information Act to circumstances where the individual concerned has either given their explicit consent to release of the information, or already made the information public, we have redacted the test results in this instance.
 
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some reason, please feel free 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

Gemma Jacob
FOI Case Officer
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London

[email protected]