TfL Ref: FOI-2285-2425

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 16 October 2024 asking for information about the 218 bus route. 

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. 

Specifically you asked for:

a) How many scheduled buses have been cancelled in the last 30 days.

b) How many buses have terminated early, not fulfilling their full advertised route.

Please find the requested information attached. This document provides the full and partial trips which did not operate for the 218 bus route between 16 September 2024 to 15 October 2024. 

Please also note the following from the ‘Cause’ column from the attached document: 

TR01 = Traffic delays

ON = Other non-deductible losses (incident/accident/road closure etc)

MC = Mechanical breakdown

OD = Other Deductible losses (anything not covered in the above categories, the operator is penalised for such losses)

c) How many services have had to run 'fast' (running through stops without picking up passengers due to overcrowding on bus routes.

Unfortunately, we do not hold this information. Our data does not capture passenger loadings on a bus, or individuals waiting at a stop. If a bus does not stop, it is not possible from our data to ascertain whether it did not stop because it was already at capacity or whether there were no individuals waiting to board.

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

Mary Abidakun

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London