Request ID: FOI-2263-2122 Date published: 19 January 2022
You asked
I am submitting a Freedom of Information Request. Please provide full information to the following questions within 20 working days.
1. In July 2020, please identify the number of staff authorised to work from Endeavour Square.
2. In July 2020, please identify the maximum number of staff allowed to attend/work at Endeavour Square.
3. In July 2020 please identify if staff were allowed to work their normal working hours at Endeavour Square.
4. In August 2020, please identify the number of staff authorised to work from Endeavour Square.
5. In August 2020, please identify the maximum number of staff allowed to attend/work at Endeavour Square.
6. In August 2020 please identify if staff were allowed to work their normal working hours at Endeavour Square.
7. During the Period 1 July 2020 to 31 August 2020, please confirm if Palestra was open to allow employees to work
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-2263-2122
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 26th December 2021 asking for information about the use of TfL offices during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.
Specifically you asked:
“1. In July 2020, please identify the number of staff authorised to work from Endeavour Square. 2. In July 2020, please identify the maximum number of staff allowed to attend/work at Endeavour Square. 3. In July 2020 please identify if staff were allowed to work their normal working hours at Endeavour Square. 4. In August 2020, please identify the number of staff authorised to work from Endeavour Square. 5. In August 2020, please identify the maximum number of staff allowed to attend/work at Endeavour Square. 6. In August 2020 please identify if staff were allowed to work their normal working hours at Endeavour Square. 7. During the Period 1 July 2020 to 31 August 2020, please confirm if Palestra was open to allow employees to work”
During the course of the pandemic TfL has been following Government restrictions and guidelines on social distancing. This includes - when applicable - the requirement that staff should work from home where possible. The majority of office-based staff have been able to work from home. That said, all staff were authorised to work in one of our offices should there be an essential business or personal need to do so. Social distancing measures - such as spacing between occupied desks, limits on the number of people allowed in lifts and one way systems - were in place during these periods to facilitate this. Given the vast majority of staff have been able to work from home, no maximum numbers were set as to the number of staff who could attend an office. Note further that not all staff that work in these offices are TfL employees.
Given the above, the answer to questions 1,3,4 and 6 is that all staff were theoretically authorised to work at Endeavour Square, and to work their normal working hours there, if there was a compelling need to do so and with the agreement of their management, although anecdotal evidence suggests very few did so. We are unable to report on precise numbers of those that did work in offices during this time as this information is not centrally recorded and was instead arranged through local management. The answer to questions 2 and 5 is that no maximum numbers were set. The answer to question 7 is yes but with the above conditions in place.
If this is not the information you are looking for 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,
David Wells FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
