Realtime data regarding number of cycle hire bikes available at each docking station

The request was partially successful.

Daniel Roberts

Dear Transport for London,

As part of a previous FOI request you released the planned locations of all Cycle Hire docking stations, along with their capacity for cycles.

The scheme is now due to go live in under 2 months. Given the time you may need to respond, I am placing this request now.

Can you please let me know in which form you intend to make information regarding the number of cycles currently availabe at any given docking station (as opposed to the total capacity of that station) available, and where this information will be published? Are there any plans to publish it as a TfL syndicated feed?

Yours faithfully,

Daniel Roberts

Transport for London

Our Ref : 1006777544

Date : 02.06.2010

Mr D Roberts

[FOI #36325 email]

Dear Mr Roberts

Thank you for your request for information dated 30.05.2010 which was
received by Transport for London on 30.05.2010 concerning cycle hire
scheme bikes and docking stations. This request will be dealt with under
the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

We aim to deal with your request promptly and provide you with a response
by 28.06.2010.

In the meantime, if you have any queries or would like to discuss your
request, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to contact us.

Yours sincerely

Patricia Mitchell

Head of Customer Services, Surface Transport

DO NOT DELETE.............................
{ticketno:[969757]}
DO NOT DELETE.............................

-----Original Message-----
From: Daniel Roberts [mailto:[FOI #36325 email]]
Sent: 30 May 2010 19:02
To: Enquire (TfL)
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Realtime data regarding number
of cycle hire bikes available at each docking station

Dear Transport for London,

As part of a previous FOI request you released the planned
locations of all Cycle Hire docking stations, along with their
capacity for cycles.

The scheme is now due to go live in under 2 months. Given the time
you may need to respond, I am placing this request now.

Can you please let me know in which form you intend to make
information regarding the number of cycles currently availabe at
any given docking station (as opposed to the total capacity of that
station) available, and where this information will be published?
Are there any plans to publish it as a TfL syndicated feed?

Yours faithfully,

Daniel Roberts

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***********************************************************************************
The contents of the e-mail and any transmitted files are confidential and
intended solely forthe use of the individual or entity to whom they are
addressed. Transport for London hereby exclude any warranty and any
liability as to the quality or accuracy of the contents of this email and
any attached transmitted files. If you are not the intendedrecipient be
advised that you have received this email in error and that any use,
dissemination, forwarding, printing or copying of this email is strictly
prohibited., If you have received this email in error please notify
[email address]., This email has been sent from Transport for
London, or from one of the companies within its control within the meaning
of Part V of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. Further details
about TfL and its subsidiary companies can be found at
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/ourcompany, This footnote also confirms that this
email message has been swept for the presence of computer viruses.
***********************************************************************************

hide quoted sections

Transport for London

1 Attachment

Our Ref: 1006777544/SA

Date: 23.06.2010

Mr D Roberts

[FOI #36325 email]

Dear Mr Roberts

Thank you for your email received by us on 30 May 2010. You asked for
information about Barclays Cycle Hire Scheme.

Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Freedom of
Information Act and I can confirm that we do hold the information you
require. Please find the information below:

The Barclays Cycle Hire website homepage
([1]www.tfl.gov.uk/barclayscyclehire) is designed to incorporate a
real-time “Google” style interactive map. This map will indicate the
status of each of docking station, including the number of bicycles
available. Additionally, if a user wishes to return a cycle and a
particular docking station is full, the terminal will show the real-time
status (the number of bicycles available) of the six nearest docking
stations.

If this is not the information you are looking for please contact Graham
Hurt, Correspondence Support Manager – London Streets via:
[email address].

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

Patricia Mitchell

Head of Customer Services

Transport for London

Surface Transport Customer Services

DO NOT DELETE.............................
{ticketno:[969757]}
DO NOT DELETE.............................
-----Original Message-----
From: Daniel Roberts [mailto:[FOI #36325 email]]
Sent: 30 May 2010 19:02
To: Enquire (TfL)
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Realtime data regarding number
of cycle hire bikes available at each docking station

Dear Transport for London,

As part of a previous FOI request you released the planned
locations of all Cycle Hire docking stations, along with their
capacity for cycles.

The scheme is now due to go live in under 2 months. Given the time
you may need to respond, I am placing this request now.

Can you please let me know in which form you intend to make
information regarding the number of cycles currently availabe at
any given docking station (as opposed to the total capacity of that
station) available, and where this information will be published?
Are there any plans to publish it as a TfL syndicated feed?

Yours faithfully,

Daniel Roberts

References

Visible links
1. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/barclayscyclehire

hide quoted sections

Daniel Roberts

Dear Transport for London,

Thanks you for your response. It is good to know you will present this information in a processed form on your website.

My query was really whether this data would be made available to the public in a raw form, such that it could be consumed by third party integrator for whatever purpose - be it creating something similar to the map you propose, doing interesting statistical analysis of the bikes usage - the list of possible uses is limited only by imagination.

Given the relatively small number of bikes, and XML of CSV document updated every few minutes on a publically accessible server would do the task admirably.

Yours faithfully,

Daniel Roberts

Transport for London

 

Thank you for your email.  We can now confirm that this has been
received. 

 

For further information about the Surface Transport Complaints and
Feedback Policy including timescales, please see
[1]http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tf...

 

Problems with roadworks or other street faults? In support of the
Mayor’s Streetworks Code of Conduct to help cut congestion, please
report these issues by visiting
[2]http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/reportas...

 

***********************************************************************************

The contents of the e-mail and any transmitted files are confidential and
intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are
addressed. Transport for London hereby exclude any warranty and any
liability as to the quality or accuracy of the contents of this email and
any attached transmitted files. If you are not the intended recipient be
advised that you have received this email in error and that any use,
dissemination, forwarding, printing or copying of this email is strictly
prohibited., If you have received this email in error please notify
[email address]., This email has been sent from Transport for
London, or from one of the companies within its control within the meaning
of Part V of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. Further details
about TfL and its subsidiary companies can be found at
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/ourcompany, This footnote also confirms that this
email message has been swept for the presence of computer viruses.

***********************************************************************************

References

Visible links
1. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tf...
2. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/reportas...

hide quoted sections

Daniel Roberts

Dear Transport for London,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Transport for London's handling of my FOI request 'Realtime data regarding number of cycle hire bikes available at each docking station'.

In your response to the above request, TfL stated that the TfL website would provide a page where a "map will indicate the status of each of docking station, including the number of bicycles available"

This is laudable, but does not address the request as intended in the original FOI request - which was getting at whether data relating to the capacity and realtime number of bikes present per docking station would be made available to the public in a raw form JSON, csv, xml, etc), such that it could be consumed by third party integrator for whatever purpose - be it creating something similar to the map you propose, doing interesting statistical analysis of the bikes usage - the list of possible uses is limited only by imagination.

The distinction between the map and the data is similar to that between apple and apple pie - apple pie is very nice, and in many instances may be a good way of presenting apples, and indeed information about the original apples may be inferred from the resultant pie, but is not the same as a bag of unprocessed apples.

I can see how my original request could have been misinterpreted, so you may want this request to be resubmitted, but it would seem to be a more efficient use of everyone's time and resources to deal with it through this request if at all possible.

If your proposed map is updated client side via an ajax call, then it seems likely this data will be available - but details would be greatly appreciated.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/re...

Yours faithfully,

Daniel Roberts

George Coulouris left an annotation ()

Excellent, we've got to get the functionaries understanding what's needed for building apps!

FOI, Transport for London

Dear Mr Roberts

Thank you for your email in which you requested an internal review of your query about Realtime data regarding the number of cycle hire bikes available at each docking station.

We are awaiting clarificatin on whether the raw data will be available via the London DataStore. I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Kind regards

Matthew Towey | Compliance Adviser 
Information Access & Compliance Team | Corporate Governance | Transport for London
5th Floor, Windsor House, 42-50 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0TL
T: 020 7126 3063/ auto 63063

From: Daniel Roberts [mailto:[FOI #36325 email]]
Sent: 27 June 2010 19:13
To: Enquire (TfL)
Subject: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Realtime data regarding number of cycle hire bikes available at each docking station

Dear Transport for London,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of
Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Transport for
London's handling of my FOI request 'Realtime data regarding number
of cycle hire bikes available at each docking station'.

In your response to the above request, TfL stated that the TfL
website would provide a page where a "map will indicate the status
of each of docking station, including the number of bicycles
available"

This is laudable, but does not address the request as intended in
the original FOI request - which was getting at whether data
relating to the capacity and realtime number of bikes present per
docking station would be made available to the public in a raw form
JSON, csv, xml, etc), such that it could be consumed by third party
integrator for whatever purpose - be it creating something similar
to the map you propose, doing interesting statistical analysis of
the bikes usage - the list of possible uses is limited only by
imagination.

The distinction between the map and the data is similar to that
between apple and apple pie - apple pie is very nice, and in many
instances may be a good way of presenting apples, and indeed
information about the original apples may be inferred from the
resultant pie, but is not the same as a bag of unprocessed apples.

I can see how my original request could have been misinterpreted,
so you may want this request to be resubmitted, but it would seem
to be a more efficient use of everyone's time and resources to deal
with it through this request if at all possible.

If your proposed map is updated client side via an ajax call, then
it seems likely this data will be available - but details would be
greatly appreciated.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is
available on the Internet at this address:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/re...

Yours faithfully,

Daniel Roberts



-------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be
published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/about...

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #36325 email]

If you find WhatDoTheyKnow useful as an FOI officer, please ask
your web manager to suggest us on your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------

FOI, Transport for London

Dear Mr Roberts

Further to my email of 29 June 2010 I can confirm that once this data exists TfL intends to make this data available through the Datastore (http://data.london.gov.uk/) and the TfL website. The timescale for doing so is currently unclear but an announcement will be made in due course.

I hope this information is of assistance and trust it satisfies your query. I would be grateful if you would let me know whether you still require an internal review of TfL's initial response to your request.

Kind regards

Matthew Towey | Compliance Adviser 
Information Access & Compliance Team | Corporate Governance | Transport for London
5th Floor, Windsor House, 42-50 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0TL
T: 020 7126 3063/ auto 63063

-----Original Message-----
From: FOI
Sent: 29 June 2010 10:00
To: '[FOI #36325 email]'
Subject: RE: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Realtime data regarding number of cycle hire bikes available at each docking station

Dear Mr Roberts

Thank you for your email in which you requested an internal review of your query about Realtime data regarding the number of cycle hire bikes available at each docking station.

We are awaiting clarificatin on whether the raw data will be available via the London DataStore. I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Kind regards

Matthew Towey | Compliance Adviser 
Information Access & Compliance Team | Corporate Governance | Transport for London
5th Floor, Windsor House, 42-50 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0TL
T: 020 7126 3063/ auto 63063

From: Daniel Roberts [mailto:[FOI #36325 email]]
Sent: 27 June 2010 19:13
To: Enquire (TfL)
Subject: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Realtime data regarding number of cycle hire bikes available at each docking station

Dear Transport for London,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of
Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Transport for
London's handling of my FOI request 'Realtime data regarding number
of cycle hire bikes available at each docking station'.

In your response to the above request, TfL stated that the TfL
website would provide a page where a "map will indicate the status
of each of docking station, including the number of bicycles
available"

This is laudable, but does not address the request as intended in
the original FOI request - which was getting at whether data
relating to the capacity and realtime number of bikes present per
docking station would be made available to the public in a raw form
JSON, csv, xml, etc), such that it could be consumed by third party
integrator for whatever purpose - be it creating something similar
to the map you propose, doing interesting statistical analysis of
the bikes usage - the list of possible uses is limited only by
imagination.

The distinction between the map and the data is similar to that
between apple and apple pie - apple pie is very nice, and in many
instances may be a good way of presenting apples, and indeed
information about the original apples may be inferred from the
resultant pie, but is not the same as a bag of unprocessed apples.

I can see how my original request could have been misinterpreted,
so you may want this request to be resubmitted, but it would seem
to be a more efficient use of everyone's time and resources to deal
with it through this request if at all possible.

If your proposed map is updated client side via an ajax call, then
it seems likely this data will be available - but details would be
greatly appreciated.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is
available on the Internet at this address:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/re...

Yours faithfully,

Daniel Roberts



-------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be
published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/about...

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #36325 email]

If you find WhatDoTheyKnow useful as an FOI officer, please ask
your web manager to suggest us on your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------

hide quoted sections

Daniel Roberts

Dear FOI,

Hello - no, in that case no internal review is required. Thanks for getting back to me so quickly, I'm sure that with the launch imminent you are all very busy.

Yours sincerely,

Daniel Roberts