Santander Cycle Redistribution Strategy and Statistics

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Juan F Navarrete

Dear Transport for London,

I would like to request information regarding bicycle redistribution of the Santander Cycle scheme. Specifically, I am interested in knowing:

1. The current redistribution strategy. Is it different from previous years? If so, could you please outline previous strategies as well?
2. Individual redistribution trip statistics (since inception if possible). Ex. number of bikes B which were moved from station A to station B in a given redistribution trip TR which took place at time T.

Thanks in advance.

Yours faithfully,

Juan F Navarrete

FOI, Transport for London

Dear Mr Navarrete

TfL Ref: FOI-2551-1516

Thank you for your email received by Transport for London (TfL) on 29
March 2016 asking for information about Santander Cycle Hire

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

A response will be provided to you by 26 April. 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.

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

Yours sincerely

Lee Hill

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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FOI, Transport for London

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Dear Mr Navarrete

TfL Ref: FOI-2551-1516

Thank you for your email received by Transport for London (TfL) on 29
March 2016 asking for information about Santander Cycle Hire

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

1.    The current redistribution strategy. Is it different from previous
years? If so, could you please outline previous strategies as well?

We operate a zonal system of redistribution with dedicated vehicles to try
to ensure availability of bikes and spaces. TfL continues to work with
Serco to find the best methods of redistribution possible, to maximise the
availability of cycles and free docking points across the scheme. However,
mainline rail stations are particularly problematic, because of the
extremely tidal nature of usage.  In other words, whereas we hope docking
stations will have a natural ebb and flow, those near stations tend to
empty out in the morning, and fill up in the evening.  While we attempt to
manage this demand, it remains the most difficult part of our
redistribution efforts. We do attempt to alleviate these problems by
positioning staff at these key sites

Although we endeavour to prevent any single docking station from remaining
full or empty for long periods of time, the scheme is designed to work in
such a way that if there are no cycles at a particular docking station, or
a free docking point, there will be one nearby which does have bikes or
docking points available.  To help customers find them, the status of the
six nearest docking stations is displayed on the terminal, and customers
who find a station full can get an extra 15 minutes of free time to cycle
to the next one. Borough restrictions also influence how and when we are
able to perform redistribution activity, with both Westminster and
Kensington & Chelsea not allowing us to operate in certain areas between
the hours of 22.00-08.00, creating significant challenges in meeting
morning peak demand.

Our contractor’s redistribution teams work continually to ensure bicycles
are where they are needed and move them around docking stations to ensure
that there are bicycles available for those wanting to use them and space
for people to leave their bikes at the end of each journey. In addition,
teams are deployed in the morning and evening rush hours to ensure we can
meet demand, and we continue to work with the nine London boroughs where
Santander Cycles is based in order to get more docking points installed at
popular locations and identify additional sites.

2.    Individual redistribution trip statistics (since inception if
possible). Ex. number of bikes B which were moved from station A to
station B in a given redistribution trip TR which took place at time T.

Please find this data attached on the number of bikes
collected/distributed to all stations each day for 2015. This shows all
data we gathered through the distribution tool (Click) that Serco work
with.

We have provided details of the number of bikes collected from a station
and the number of bikes dropped off at a station through Click. Please
note that you will not be able to infer that a particular number of bikes
have been moved from ‘Station A’ to ‘Station B’ as this data is not
available.

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable
to access it for some 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

Lee Hill

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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Juan F Navarrete

Dear FOI,

Thank you for your reply.

The data you provided is not complete as it does not contain the bicycle redistributions of all stations for each day for 2015 (the file only includes data from 01/01/2015 to 13/06/2015 and from 01/01/2015 to 26/05/2015 for distributed and collected bicycles, respectively). Would you please provide the data for the full 2015 year?

Furthermore, would it be possible to get the data of the year 2016 too (what is available of it)?

Yours sincerely,

Juan F Navarrete

FOI, Transport for London

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Dear Mr Navarette

I can confirm that the spreadsheet provided to you previously did contain
full 2015 information and have attached the document for ease of
reference.

Your request for 2016 data will be processed in accordance with the
requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and TfL’s information
access policy. 

A response will be provided to you by 28 July. 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
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/transpar... to see if this helps you.

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

Yours sincerely

Lee Hill

Senior FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

show quoted sections

FOI, Transport for London

2 Attachments

Dear Mr Navarette

TfL Ref: FOI-0678-1617

Thank you for your email received by us on 29 June 2016 asking for
information about Santander Cycles.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of
the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can
confirm we do hold the information you require.

Please see the requested data attached for 2016.

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable
to access it for some 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

Lee Hill

Senior FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

show quoted sections