Correspondence between TfL and Momentum concerning the Olympia Development.
Request ID: FOI-3702-1920
Date published: 24 April 2020
You asked
Dear FOI,
Thank you. I am clarifying my request.
Time frame: September 2017 to January 2019 inclusive.
To and from: Michal Miklasz and other TfL Officers in the traffic modelling team.
Concerning : the VISSIM trraffic modelling for the Olympia Development.
I am also interested in notes of discussions and meetings held on this subject, but as that may not be covered by the word correspondence, I will pursue a separate FOI request for that,
Thank you.
We answered
TfL Ref: 3702-1920 and 3854-1920
Thank you for your requests received by Transport for London (TfL) on 8 and 13 March 2020 asking for: 1. Information concerning TfL and the traffic modelling done by Momentum for the Olympia Development and 2. Correspondence between TfL and Momentum concerning the VISSIM traffic modelling for the Olympia Development both to and from Michal Miklasz and other TfL Officers in the traffic modelling team in the period September 2017 to January 2019 inclusive.
Your requests have been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold the information you require. Please note we have combined these responses as some of the information you have requested in 1. is provided as part of our response to your second request.
FOI ref 3854-1920
TfL undertook traffic modelling auditing on the Olympia development proposal during the summer of 2018. The traffic modelling files you have requested, however can only be opened by specialist traffic modelling software known as VISSIM that require bespoke licences in order to be able to view, run or make changes. On that basis, please confirm if you still wish to receive these files. We have attached the technical notes which accompany these models and the modelling results from 2018. We have also provided the following documents as requested:
- Modelling scoping note
- Screenshot of model network
- Various emails which capture the meetings, discussions and audits that have taken place.
FOI ref 3702-1920
Please find attached further email files and their contents which were identified during an email search of our records for email and letter correspondence between TfL and Momentum concerning the VISSIM traffic modelling for the Olympia Development both to and from Michael Miklasz and other named TfL officers (Claire Farrow, Thomas Burman, Adam Greenland and Joseph Bottoms) in the traffic modelling team in the period September 2017 and January 2019. Some of the emails are also between TfL and Multi Modal UK which were also captured by the email search which we believe are also relevant to your request.
In accordance with the EIR, we are not obliged to supply all of the requested information as it is subject to a statutory exception to the right of access to information under regulation12(5)(e). In this instance the regulation12(5)(e) exception has been applied as disclosure of the initial costs levied by Momentum including the figures in the quotation they provided would adversely affect the confidentiality of commercial information and our ability to obtain the best value for money.
The use of this exception is subject to an assessment of the public interest in relation to the disclosure of the information concerned. We recognise the need for openness and transparency by public authorities, particularly where the expenditure of public money is concerned, but in this instance the public interest in ensuring that we are able to obtain the best value for public money from our negotiations outweighs the general public interest in increasing transparency of our processes.
Please note 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.
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’.
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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