Please would you provide: - Any documentation which discusses planned operational arrangements during disruption causing a blockage of the track (i.e. trains with no movement requiring rescue, or track, signal or points failures) on the railway between Liverpool Street and Shenfield. In particular, I would appreciate documentation on any agreement with Network Rail about arrangements for mutual diversion of Greater Anglia or TfL Rail trains onto the Electric or Main Lines respectively in the case that parts of their lines are disrupted. - Any documentation, meeting minutes or similar which outline any planned changes to these arrangements for Elizabeth Line branded services to begin on this part of the railway in December 2018.

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TfL Ref: 2230-1718

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 12 November asking for any documentation regarding planned operational arrangements during disruption caused by a blockage on the track between Liverpool Street and Shenfield, and any documentation including minutes about any planned changes to these arrangements for Elizabeth Line.  I apologise for the length of time this response has taken.

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

However, in accordance with the FOI Act, we are not obliged to supply the documentation requested as it is subject to a statutory exemption to the right of access to information under sections 31(1)(b) and Section 31(1)(g), which exempt from disclosure information which would, or would be likely to prejudice the apprehension or prosecution of offenders or the exercise of functions for the purpose of ascertaining whether any person has failed to comply with the law.

We have significant concerns, which are shared by Network Rail, about disclosing train stabling, information on whether a driver is to remain with the train and track layover information because of the known problems of vandalism and graffiti. The removal of graffiti from trains and infrastructure is extremely costly to the taxpayer. There are also train delays caused by trespassing and the high risk of fatalities from contact with trains or live rails. The following link provides evidence of that risk. There have been more recent fatalities in Portugal and Australia. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/jan/20/ukcrime.prisonsandprobation.

We also have security concerns about the potential terrorism risks associated with the disclosure of the requested information.  Whilst we make no suggestion that you would use the information for anything other than your own personal interest, in the event of the contingency plans coming into operation, this information could potentially be obtained and utilised by individuals who may wish to use this detailed operational information about how the network would operate during disruption to cause interference to the workings of the critical rail network infrastructure. Individuals could then plan further actions to maximise disruption and worsen the situation, placing members of the public and TfL staff at risk by highlighting areas on the network which could be targeted in an attack.  Whilst we make no suggestion that you would use the information for anything other than your own personal interest, disclosure to you has to be regarded as a disclosure to ‘the public at large’.

The use of this exemption is subject to an assessment of the public interest in relation to the disclosure of the information concerned. We recognise the need for openness and transparency by public authorities, but in this instance the public interest in applying the exemption, in order to minimise the cost of graffiti removal, service disruption to taxpayers and safety risks to individuals, the general public and train operating staff outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

Yours sincerely

Sara Thomas

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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