Freedom of Information Request regarding parking Enforcement Camera at O/S 180-184 Clapham High Street SW4 Tuesday, February 6, 2024
Request ID: FOI-4272-2324 Date published: 01 March 2024
You asked
Dear Sirs
There is a parking enforcement camera in the vicinity of O/S 180-184 Clapham High Street SW4 which recorded still images, and we presume moving images, on the basis of which penalty charge number xxxxxx was issued.
Please let me have by email the
1. Make,
2. Model and
3. Serial number
of the camera that took the images of our vehicle (Registration xxxxx) at xxxx on xxxx, February xx, 2024 on the basis of which penalty charge number xxxxxx was issued.
We answered
TfL Ref: EIR-4272-2324
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 17th February 2024 asking for information about a camera on Clapham High Street. Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) and our information access policy.
Specifically you asked:
“There is a parking enforcement camera in the vicinity of O/S 180-184 Clapham High Street SW4 which recorded still images, and we presume moving images, on the basis of which penalty charge number xxxxx was issued. Please let me have by email the 1. Make, 2. Model and 3. Serial number of the camera that took the images of our vehicle (Registration xxxxxx) at xxxx on xxxx February xx, 2024 on the basis of which penalty charge number xxxxxxxx was issued.”
I can confirm that we hold the information you require. However, I am afraid that the information is excepted from release in order to protect our ULEZ enforcement infrastructure from vandalism (noting that release of information under the EIR is considered to be to the world at large rather than the individual applicant). The information is therefore being withheld under Regulations R12(5)(a) – “international relations, defence, national security & public safety” (in this instance specifically public safety); regulation 12(5)(b) – “the course of justice, the ability of a person to receive a fair trial or the ability of the public authority to conduct and inquiry of a criminal or disciplinary nature” (in this instance specifically the course of justice); and regulation 12(5)(e) – “confidentially of commercial or industrial information where such confidentiality is provide by law to protect a legitimate economic interest.” The rationale for this is explained in more detail in a published response to a previous information request which is available on our website here:
Note that the exceptions apply to all of our camera infrastructure, not just those cameras used to enforce the ULEZ (on the basis that if the exceptions applied to ULEZ cameras only, then by default this would identify the purpose of those cameras).
This approach has recently been agreed by the Information Commissioner in relation to a similar, previous request, as can be seen in the following Decision Notice - the same arguments apply in your case:
