Dear Mr Poon,

TfL Ref: FOI-3636-1920

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request received by Transport
for London (TfL) on 28^th February 2020.

Your request will be processed in accordance with the requirements of the
Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. 

A response will be sent to you by 23^rd March 2020. We publish a
substantial range of information on our website on subjects including
operational performance, contracts, expenditure, journey data, governance
and our financial performance. This includes data which is frequently
asked for in FOI requests or other public queries. Please check
[1]http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/transpar... to see if this helps you.

We will publish anonymised versions of requests and responses on the
[2]www.tfl.gov.uk website. We will not publish your name and we will send
a copy of the response to you before it is published on our website.

In the meantime, if you would like to discuss this matter further, please
do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely,

David Wells

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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Dear Mr Poon,

TfL Ref: FOI-3636-1920

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London on 22^nd
February 2020 asking for recordings of various announcements used on the
TfL network, transcripts, and a copy of the Big Red Book.

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 some of the information you require.

CDs containing the requested recordings will be put in the post upon
receipt of a postal address. However, note that for the London Underground
only the Northern, Jubilee and Piccadilly lines can be provided. The
Piccadilly line announcements are supplied as PCC files which may need
specialist software to play them. This format is the only version we
currently have available. Recordings from the other lines are exempt from
release under section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act (the
exemption relating to prejudice of commercial interests). In this
instance, section 43(2) has been applied as disclosure of the information
requested would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of TfL
and/or the company that provides the announcements. The contract with that
company specifies that the recordings are solely to be used for the
purpose for which they were created and for broadcast on the TfL network
only. If TfL were to disclose these recordings in response to an FOI
request, it would constitute an actionable breach of contract. TfL wishes
to protect its commercial interests and ability to participate in future
commercial activity. The disclosure of this information would be to the
detriment of present and future business activities for both parties.

The use of this exemption is subject to an assessment of the public
interest in relation to the disclosure of the information concerned. TfL
recognises the need for openness and transparency within public
authorities and the degree of public interest concerning London transport
announcements. However, in this instance this is outweighed by the damage
that would be done to TfL’s ability to use these recordings and any future
contractual negotiations that may take place regarding such announcements.

TfL does not hold a hard copy of the latest Big Red Book. A pdf version is
attached.

Copies of transcipts are attached where these are held. Note that there is
no obligation on public bodies to create new information where it is not
already held. Where scripts are not provided this is because TfL does nto
hold that information.

In regard to your question about buses, it is not clear exacly what
“specifications” you require. Information about the London bus fleet
(which are operated under contract by private providers) can be found on
our website here – if this does not provide the information you require
please let me know what else, exactly, is required:

[1]https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publication...

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,

David Wells

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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