1) Passenger numbers from start of 248 bus route (approx.4:30am) and last 248 service (approximately 1:00am) by month grouped every half an hour for the last 2 years (January 2019 and January 2021) between Cranham front lane car park and Upminster station. 2) Passenger numbers from start of 248 bus route (approx.4:30am) and last 248 service (approximately 1:00am) by month group every half an hour for the last 2 years (January 2019 and January 2021) between Upminster station and Cranham front lane car park. As an example I would like a table which has the following set up; Months of the year along the top from January 2019 to January 2021 Down the side half hour time slots from start of 248 route to end of 248 route time- approximately 4:30am to 1:00am. The dataset to be counted is the number of passengers tapping on to use the service via their Oyster cards between Cranham front lane car park and Upminster station I do believe this is around 10 stops. I would then like a second table formatted the same way but counting passengers numbers between Upminster station and Cranham front lane car park.

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Our ref: FOI-2338-2021

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 13 February 2021 asking for information about bus route 248.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our Information Access Policy. You asked for:

1) Passenger numbers from start of 248 bus route (approx.4:30am) and last 248 service (approximately 1:00am) by month grouped every half an hour for the last 2 years (January 2019 and January 2021) between Cranham front lane car park and Upminster station.

2) Passenger numbers from start of 248 bus route (approx.4:30am) and last 248 service (approximately 1:00am) by month group every half an hour for the last 2 years (January 2019 and January 2021) between Upminster station and Cranham front lane car park.

As an example I would like a table which has the following set up;

Months of the year along the top from January 2019 to January 2021

Down the side half hour time slots from start of 248 route to end of 248 route time- approximately 4:30am to 1:00am.

The dataset to be counted is the number of passengers tapping on to use the service via their Oyster cards between Cranham front lane car park and Upminster station I do believe this is around 10 stops.

I would then like a second  table formatted the same way but counting passengers numbers between Upminster station and Cranham front lane car park.

Unfortunately to provide all the information you requested would exceed the ‘appropriate limit’ of £450 set by the Freedom of Information (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004.

Under section 12 of the FOI Act, we are not obliged to comply with a request if we estimate that the cost of determining whether we hold the information, locating and retrieving it and extracting it from other information would exceed the appropriate limit. This is calculated at £25 per hour for every hour spent on the activities described.

We have estimated that it would take over 18 working hours to retrieve and compile the information you have requested.

In order to collate the information you have requested would be very time consuming as we currently do not have an automated database which can easily retrieve the required data. We would have to manually create a new dataset, extract the data, process it into the format required, and assess the route geometry to align data by bus stop to the correct direction of travel for the last two years.

To help bring the cost of responding to your request within the £450 limit, you may wish to consider narrowing its scope by requesting specific documents within a smaller timeframe so that we can more easily locate, retrieve and extract the information you are seeking.

If you want to refine your request or make a Freedom of Information Act request in future, please bear in mind that the Freedom of Information Act allows you to request recorded information held by Transport for London. You should identify the information that you want as clearly and concisely as you can, specifying the types of document that you are looking for.

Although your request can take the form of a question, rather than a request for specific documents, TfL does not have to answer your question if it would require the creation of new information or the provision of a judgement, explanation, advice or opinion that was not already recorded at the time of your request.

Please note that there does not appear to be a bus stop called ‘Cranham Front Lane Car Park’ (although there is one called ‘Front Lane’). Further, if you decide to submit a new refined request, please clarify if you mean only customers tapping on using an Oyster card or all customers tapping on whether they used Oyster or Contactless?

If you are considering submitting a further FOI request please think carefully about whether the request is essential at this current time, as answering FOI requests will require the use of limited resources and the attention of staff who could be supporting other essential activity. Where requests are made, please note that our response time may be impacted by the current situation.

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

Yours sincerely,

Melissa Nichols

FOI Case Officer

General Counsel

Transport for London

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