TFL has stated that changes made via the 'Better Junctions' programme (aka Junction Safety) will be subject to review to assess whether or not objectives have been met. Please provide this information which AFAIK has not been made public. I am particularly interested in the Oval (A3/ A23) and whether the changes made in 2015 had an impact on traffic flow / congestion, but also in any post-imp reviews of other 'Better Junctions' that have been done since.

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TfL Ref: 3667-1920 and 3703-1920

Thank you for your requests received by Transport for London (TfL) on 27 February 2020 asking for information about our ‘Better Junctions’ scheme.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations and TfL’s information access policy. I can confirm we do hold some of the information you require.

Improvements have been delivered at 18 of the 33 junctions listed on TfL’s former Better Junctions programme, with construction also underway on improvements at Kew Bridge and Old Street. Other schemes from the list remain in development, including at Lambeth Bridge and Waterloo Roundabout, which are planned for future implementation. Completed schemes are typically added to TfL’s Traffic Accident Diary System (TADS) to monitor changes in the collision record. Schemes may also be subject to further monitoring in terms of user numbers, perception surveys and audits where appropriate. This may take place as part of a wider cycle route assessment, where junction improvements were delivered as part of a longer route.

Please see attached the latest TADS report for the Oval scheme you specifically asked about which shows that the number of collisions reduced by 19% in the three year post-implementation period, from 94 in the equivalent ‘before’ period compared to 76 in the post-implementation period. Collisions involving pedestrians reduced by 45% and collisions involving cyclists reduced by 35% in the post-implementation period. The most recent 36 months shows a 24% reduction in collisions compared to the 36 months before implementation (from 94 to 71 collisions).

No specific assessment is available regarding the impact on traffic flow at Oval, but TfL undertook real-time monitoring of the location during and after launch. Post-implementation traffic counts were commissioned, and an analysis of these counts is also attached. The junction is now operating under intelligent traffic signal control (SCOOT), which can optimise the junction in real-time using vehicle detection. SCOOT is automatically balancing the needs of all road users that utilise it and is regularly reviewed to ensure that it is operating optimally.

Our Safer Junctions programme, announced in April 2017, takes an evidence-based approach to target 73 junctions on the TfL road network where high numbers of people have been killed or injured while walking, cycling or riding motorcycles - typically the most vulnerable road users. Significant progress is being made with the delivery of improvements at many of the locations on the Safer Junctions list.

We have completed safety improvements at 32 Safer Junction locations including vital improvements at Rotherhithe Roundabout, and nine junctions are in construction. 

Please note that some of the Better Junction schemes are led by the relevant London Borough with others led by TfL. In terms of post-implementation reviews most schemes that have been delivered haven’t yet been fully reviewed as this requires three years’ worth of data to be available.

We are applying Regulation 12(4)(b) to part of your request as we believe that some elements are ‘manifestly unreasonable’ because locating, extracting and collating all the information you have requested would impose unreasonable costs on us and require an unreasonable diversion of resources.

To answer the part of your request where you ask which of the ‘Better Junctions’ have been subject to post-implementation review / assessment and when and by whom would require searching records held by a number of employees across several business areas as well as emails between us and any Boroughs who have had involvement in any of the schemes. The search would also involve looking through non-electronic and archived documents in order to be certain that all information we hold is located and provided. In the time period you have asked about colleagues may have left the organisation or changed roles and any search may also require a review of former employees’ archived email accounts.

The use of this exception is subject to a public interest test, which requires us to consider whether the public interest in applying the exception outweighs the public interest in disclosure. We recognise that the release of information would promote accountability and transparency in public services and also help address your particular concerns about this issue. However, the time it would take to provide the information you have requested would divert a disproportionate amount of our resources from its core functions and on balance we consider that the public interest currently favours the use of the exception.

Please note that in accordance with TfL’s obligations under the Data Protection legislation some personal data has been removed, as required by Regulation 13 of the Environmental Information Regulations. This is because disclosure of this personal data would be a breach of the legislation, specifically the first principle of the legislation, which requires all processing of personal data to be fair and lawful. It would not be fair to disclose this personal information when the individuals have no expectation it would be disclosed and TfL has not satisfied one of the conditions of Schedule 2 which would make the processing ‘fair’.

The Government has announced a series of measures to tackle the Coronavirus. It is essential for London, and in particular for all critical workers, that we continue to provide a safe transport network that enables them to make the journeys they need to.

In current circumstances, we are not able to answer FOI requests readily and we ask that you please do not make a request to us at present.

Answering FOI requests will require the use of limited resources and the attention of staff who could be supporting other essential activity. In any event, please note that our response time will be affected by the current situation

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

Sara Thomas

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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