Mobility impaired and denial of Service statistics
Request ID: FOI-2327-2324 Date published: 23 October 2023
You asked
Please could you:
1) Provide the following information* for 2022, with a table for each TfL service1:
a) The number of journeys
b) An estimate of the number of journeys by persons with mobility issues2
c) An estimate of the number of journeys by persons using or carrying a mobility aid3
d) The number of times a person was denied access to that TFL service and the internally recorded reason.
e) The internal definition of each reason.
*If requests b, c, d or e exceed the ‘appropriate limit’ of £450 set by the Freedom of Information (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004, please ignore them.
1. Services including Underground, Bus, DLR, Tram, Overground, Elizabeth line, London Cable Car and TfL Rail.
2. A physical or mental impairment that affects an individual’s ability to walk.
3. Any device or equipment that assists or replaces an individual’s ability to walk.
2) State what information is recorded and/or created after TfL staff or partners deny access to the network (for example reports and statistics).
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-2327-2324
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 29th September 2023 asking for information about mobility impaired and denial of service statistics.
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. Your questions are answered in turn below:
Question 1) Provide the following information for 2022, with a table for each TfL service (Underground, Bus, DLR, Tram, Overground, Elizabeth line, London Cable Car and TfL Rail);
a) The number of journeys:
Answer: The data we hold is compiled by Financial Year. This is shown in the table below for the year 2022/23 (1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023). Note that “TfL Rail” is the former name of the Elizabeth Line – these are not separate modes:
Millions of journeys for financial year 2022/23:
Mode
London Underground
Bus
DLR
Tram
London Overground
Elizabeth Line (formerly TfL Rail)
London Cable Car
Journeys 2022/23 (m)
1,065.1
1,784.6
92.3
20.9
157.1
137.6
1.5
In relation to your remaining questions, I am afraid it is not possible to source the information to answer them within the costs limit for responding to cases, as set out under section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act. Under section 12, TfL is not required to provide information if it would cost more than £450 to determine if that information is held, and to then locate, retrieve or extract it from elsewhere. This is calculated at a rate of £25 per hour, equivalent to 18 hours work.
In this instance the exemption applies because the information has not been collated before, there is no single source for it, and there is no quick or efficient way of compiling it. As an example, for question 1d (the number of times a person was denied access to that TFL service and the internally recorded reason), just trying to source the data for trams alone would exceed the £450 limit. Customers may be denied access to the tram network for attempting to contravene the byelaws - for example, by trying to board a tram with an e-scooter, or if they were smoking. Such incidents may be recorded as a ‘notable event’ - a notable event being something that impacted the tram service or someone’s health and safety. To answer the question on the reason why somebody was denied access we would need to manually review each individual record to ascertain the recorded reason. In the current year to date (which will be a reflection of the number for 2022 also) we already have around 5,000 such incidents recorded on the tram network. Given the numbers involved, it is clear that to answer all of these questions for all of the listed modes would far exceed the costs limit.
Notwithstanding the above, in liaising with colleagues during the processing of your request I have been informed of the following, which may be of use to you. From 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022 there were around 27,000 Turn Up and Go journeys recorded on the London Underground network. Similarly there 7,121 Turn Up and Go journeys recorded on the Elizabeth Line. For an explanation of the Turn Up and Go service see the following section of our website:
“We offer a turn up and go service on the Tube, London Overground and Elizabeth line.
Everyone is welcome to use our turn up and go service - it's popular with customers with visual impairments, mobility impairments and groups, including school groups. There is no need to pre-book the turn up and go service, just turn up at the station and ask staff for assistance.
Our staff is trained to give assistance to customers, including guiding visually-impaired customers by the arm and assisting wheelchair users by pushing the chair if needed.
As part of our turn up and go service, our staff will:
• Let you know if there are unplanned disruptions and suggest alternative step free access routes • Accompany you from the ticket hall to the platform and help you board the train • Help you get off the train at any interchange stations and board the next train • Help you get off the train when you arrive at your final destination, and accompany you back to the ticket hall • Arrange a boarding ramp, if required (and available)”
Finally, as advised previously and if you have not already done so, you may it find it more helpful to raise you concerns directly with our Accessibility Team. Please see the following page of our website for details of how to do this - along with advice about accessible travel on TfL services:
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
