Dear Mr Godfrey

TfL Ref: 0807-2122

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 18 July 2021. Please accept my apologies for the delay in acknowledging your correspondence

We will aim to issue a response by 13 August 2021in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and our information access policy.

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.

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

Jasmine Howard
FOI Case Officer
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London
 

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Dear Mr Godfrey

Our Ref:         FOI-0807-2122

Thank you for your request received on 18 July 2021 asking for information
about the use of face coverings on our network.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of
the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. 

Throughout the pandemic, TfL has taken its lead from prevailing UK
Government policy, which has been very clear in its communications
relating to the ‘Step 4’ changes (introduced in England on 19 July 2021)
that, although the legal requirement to wear a face covering has been
removed, it (the Government) “still recommends and expects that people
wear face coverings in enclosed and crowded spaces where they come into
contact with people they don’t normally meet – such as at airports and on
public or international transport.” On 14 July, the Secretary of State for
Transport stated in a television interview that he “expected, and indeed,
wanted” some train, bus and rail companies to insist on mask-wearing on
their services and he publicly backed the decision to keep the wearing of
them compulsory on London’s public transport services (except for those
who are exempt).

On 15 July 2021, TfL decided to retain the requirement, under paragraph
2.4 of its [1]Conditions of Carriage, for customers and passengers to wear
a face covering on the TfL network. TfL’s decision on 15 July 2021 was
taken under its statutory powers contained in section 173(1), and Schedule
11, paragraphs 1(1) and 32 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (as
amended). The Mayor did not direct TfL to take this decision but requested
it to do so. The decision is kept under continual review and we will
continue to follow the Government advice on the use of face coverings and
any future decisions regarding their use will be taken in due course.

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

Yours sincerely

Gemma Jacob

Senior FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

[2][TfL request email]

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