Dear Mr Webb

TfL Ref: FOI-4790-1718

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 7 March 2018 asking for London Underground announcements.

Your request will be processed by TfL, the Greater London Authority and its subsidiaries to provide you with a response in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and our information access policy.

A response will be sent to you by 9 April 2018. 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 see if this helps you.

We will publish anonymised versions of requests and responses on the 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,

Melissa Nichols
FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London

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Dear Mr Webb,

TfL Ref: FOI-4790-1718

Thank you for your email received on 15 March 2018 asking for London
Underground announcements.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of
the Freedom of Information Act and our Information Access Policy.

In accordance with the FOI Act, TfL is not obliged to supply the audio
files for London Underground as the information is subject to a statutory
exemption to the right of access to information under section 43(2).

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 Global Services Ltd. The recordings in question
were provided to London Underground from Global Services Ltd under a
signed contract which contained explicit conditions concerning disclosure
and distribution.

The contract specifies that the recordings are solely to be used for the
purpose for which they were created and for broadcast on the London
Underground network only. If TfL were to disclose these recordings in
response to an FOI request, it would constitute an actionable breach of
contract and would be likely to result in a valid legal claim against
London Underground or the license to use the recordings being withdrawn,
which would impose additional, unnecessary, costs. 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 in light of the disclosure of iBus 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 the London Underground
announcements.

Please see the enclosed information sheet for details of your right to
appeal.

Yours sincerely,

Melissa Nichols

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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