Request ID: FOI-4593-2324 Date published: 08 April 2024
You asked
Hi,
Could you tell me how much the contract is costing to provide replacement buses between Epping - Loughton - Chingford to compensate for the ongoing performance issues due to a lack of available trains. Could you please also provide the number of passengers who have used these buses whilst they have been in operation. This will provide a cost per passenger compared to the cost of the contract. My reason for asking this is because no one has ever seen anyone use this service. Even the driver encourages you to wait for the next train as it will be quicker than using the service. This is alongside the chaos they are causing with congestion along the station road! Quite comical really!
We answered
Our ref: FOI-4593-2324/GH
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 11 March 2024 asking for information about replacement buses from Epping.
Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold some of the information you require.
We do not have the numbers of passengers who used the shuttles as they were not recorded by the contractor.
We are not obliged to provide you with the cost of providing the replacement buses as this information is subject to a statutory exemption to the right of access to information under section 43(2). In this instance the section 43(2) exemption has been applied as disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice our commercial interests, as well as those of the bus operators. Releasing the payments made to bus operating companies for these services would hinder our ability to negotiate the best value for money for similar services in the future.
The use of this exemption 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 outweighs the general public interest in increasing transparency of our processes.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely
Graham Hurt FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
