Request ID: FOI-3312-2223 Date published: 27 March 2023
You asked
Dear Transport for London,
I would like to request a list of all known permanent artworks on TfL property.
For each artwork, I would like to know:
* The location
* The year of installation [if known]
* The name [if known]
* The artist [if known]
* A description [if available]
* An image [if available]
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-3312-2223
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 7th March 2023 asking for information about artwork owned by TfL.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.
Specifically you asked:
“I would like to request a list of all known permanent artworks on TfL property.
For each artwork, I would like to know: * The location * The year of installation [if known] * The name [if known] * The artist [if known] * A description [if available] * An image [if available]”.
I can confirm that we hold the information you require. However, I am afraid it is not possible to source all of the information requested within the costs limit for responding to FOI 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 compiled before and there is no quick or efficient way of doing so. TfL is responsible for a large number of different modes of transport (including the London Underground, London Overground, the Elizabeth Line, the Docklands Light Railway, Trams, Buses, the London Cable Car, Dial-A-Ride, and river services) each of which have their own stations and depots and other associated property. We also have various other properties such as the London Transport Museum, Victoria Coach Station and our Office Headquarters at several different sites. In theory any one of these properties could house artwork. The only way of finding out exactly what is held and where would be to contact each site individually. Given the numbers involved and the complexity this would entail this is not feasible within the £450 limit.
In order to bring your request within the costs limit you may wish to narrow its scope to focus on the information that is of most importance to you. For example, you may wish to focus on a particular site rather than the entire TfL network. Note that we have a team responsible for art on the Underground, and so information relating to art on the London Underground may be more readily accessible than elsewhere.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely,
David Wells FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
