TfL Ref: 4959-1718

Thank you for your email received by us on 21 March 2018 asking for information about staff travel on rail services which are not operated by Transport for London (TfL).

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold the information you require. You asked for the following:

I wish to enquire as to how often the arrangements between TfL and the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC), for reciprocal Staff Travel arrangements, are reviewed. This this on a yearly, or longer basis, and how is the regularity set? My request is a result of the forthcoming improvements to pan-London travel from the upgrade completion of the Thameslink Services. A NEW tunnel link will provide a direct route for Thameslink trains between Finsbury Park to Kings Cross / St. Pancras (Thameslink) Stations. My second query therefore is, as the current arrangement is for TfL Staff to be able to travel north of the Thameslink Central London 'core' stations one more stop to Kentish Town, will there be a future discussion / review so that the possibility of using the link between Finsbury Park and Kings Cross / St Pancras (Thameslink) station which is also only one more stop can be included in the 'agreed' usage. Does 'TfL' understand about the future improvements or is it blinkered due to it being a Network Rail scheme?

I can advise that we meet up with the Rail Delivery Group (formerly known as ATOC) on a regular basis throughout the year. Inter-available agreements have been recent items of discussion between both parties. The Rail Delivery Group has no plans to reduce or increase current inter-available routes that are linked to the current 1999 agreement. Increasing inter-available routes on National Rail would mean revenue decreases for the National Rail company operating the route you have mentioned as TfL employees and nominees using it would be getting free travel rather than paying a fare. If an agreement was reciprocal, this would also mean a revenue decrease for TfL.

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

Jasmine Howard
FOI Case Officer
Information Governance
Transport For London