Our Ref:          FOI-4423-1718

Thank you for your request received on 7 February 2018 asking for information about the RV1 bus service. I apologise for the delay in my response.
 
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm we hold some of the information you require. You asked for:
 
The passenger numbers for the RV1 Bus Service in each of the last five years. Please can you break this down to a monthly figure. If it is possible please can you break this down further to look at key demographics/users e.g. pensioners, under 16 users etc.
 
Please see the attached spreadsheet which shows the recorded passenger data. We do not break down the information monthly, rather the data is supplied weekly, by day type. It is also broken down by ticket type.
 
Please note that half way through the data the way we collect and classify the data changes; however the total numbers should still be comparable. Please also note that the numbers are not whole as each category is scaled. This is done for all non-pay as you go ticket types, scaling factors are used to account for passengers that do not validate their journeys (tap in).
 
Please can you provide me with any documents referring to the recent announcement to reduce the frequency from six buses an hour to three buses an hour.
 
All permanent bus changes are published on our website along with supporting documents:
 
https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/buses/permanent-bus-changes
 
http://content.tfl.gov.uk/bus-service-changes.pdf
 
In accordance with section 21 of the FOI Act, TfL is not obliged to supply you with a copy of the requested information as it is already accessible to you elsewhere.
 
Please also find attached is a copy of the document which announced the frequency reduction.
 
Please can you release any correspondence on this issue with the Mayor or his office.
 
Please see the attached correspondence we have had with the Mayor’s Office. Attached is a letter that was sent to us from Southwark Council, where the Mayor’s Office was copied in, and our response. Also attached is a copy of a letter issued to stakeholders, including members of the London Assembly, as well as two e-mails sent between the Mayor’s Office and our Local Communities & Partnerships team.
 
Please note that in accordance with TfL’s obligations under the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) some personal data has been removed, as required by section 40(2) of the FOI Act. This is because disclosure of this personal data would be a breach of the DPA, specifically the first principle of the DPA 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 of the Data Protection Act which would make the processing ‘fair’.
 
This exemption to the right of access to information is an absolute exemption and not subject to an assessment of whether the public interest favours use of the exemption.
 
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some reason, please feel free to contact me.
 
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

Yours sincerely

Gemma Jacob
FOI Case Officer
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London

[email protected]

Attachments