30 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in April 2025
1) There are no current plans to shorten route SL7 to allow for more stops, including Feltham (which is bypassed by the longest gap between stops on a TfL bus route). 2) There are a total of 1928 ULEZ signs. 3) Re-signalling the Piccadilly line is currently unfunded. However TfL's goal is to achieve automatic train control as currently implemented on the Victoria, Central, Northern and Jubilee lines. 4) In 2024 the British Transport Police recorded 591 sexual offences "on train" and 351 "at station". 5) If you'd like a copy of the SL4 timetables posted at every bus stop along the route, northbound are here and southbound are here.
6) TfL's definition of 'maximum crowding level' aboard tube trains is 4 people per square metre. By this metric Metropolitan line trains have the highest capacity (1004 passengers) and Bakerloo line trains have the lowest capacity per car (104 passengers). 7) The “default” fare for a tube/train journey is calculated by considering routes which cannot be identified using either route validators or “out-of-station” interchanges. This is why the default fare from Barbican to Crystal Palace increased when Crossrail opened. 8) The 5 most problematic animal pests in the London Underground system are rats, mice, pigeons, seagulls and ants. The chief causes of damage are chewing (by rodents), corrosion (by bird guano) and blockages (by birds nesting). 9) In 2003 the most used station on the Underground was King's Cross St Pancras (69.76 million passengers) and the least used was Chigwell (0.17 million). 10) At its river piers, TfL currently issue licences to seven operators running scheduled services and 30 further operators permitting them to book berthing slots for private charters.
11) In the second half of January less than 70% of timetabled Central line trains were running at peak times. Traction faults and motor failures were mostly to blame. More recently percentages have been back up in the 80s. 12) Of all the Thames bridges in London, last year Twickenham Bridge had the most cars, London Bridge the most taxis and cyclists, Putney Bridge the most motorbikes, Tower Bridge the most vans, Waterloo Bridge the most buses and Vauxhall Bridge the most motor vehicles of all kinds. 13) In November 2024, 83% of Freedom Passes and 60+ cards had been used at least once in the past 2 years. These cards are used for five times as many bus journeys as rail/tube journeys. 14) The recent outbreak of graffiti on Bakerloo line trains is partly due to a significant increase in the number of incidents but mainly because "a track defect in the depot meant we were unable to use our automatic train wash for a few weeks". 15) Easy-to-clean graphics have been installed behind 80 benches on the central section of the Elizabeth line. The total cost for the survey, manufacture and installation of the vinyls was £30,920 plus VAT.
16) Last year the Lost Property Office recorded receipt of 18 sex toys, 12 of which were found inside a bag/container with other property. Only two were returned to their owner. 17) Last year the busiest stop on each of the Superloop routes was as follows: SL1 Angel Corner, SL2 Ilford station, SL3 Abbey Wood station, SL5 East Croydon Bus Station, SL6 Aldwych, SL7 Hatton Cross station, SL8 Shepherd's Bush station, SL9 and SL10 Harrow Bus Station. 18) The oldest Oyster card reader on a London bus is 15 years old and the newest is 9 years old. The average age is 13.97 years. 19) In February 2025 there were 8 incidents relating to bus wing mirrors. 20) Fare evasion costs TfL in excess of £100m a year. In 2023/24 there were 18,570 successful court convictions, including 5972 on buses, 4667 on the Elizabeth Line, 4511 on the Overground, 2979 on the Underground and just 441 on the DLR.
21) Bank/Monument is the station with the most escalators (35) and Greenford the fewest (1). 22) Last year the TfL estate ran 11 advertising campaigns for tobacco/nicotine products, raising £309,841 gross revenue. 23) TfL has a long-term strategy to phase out magnetic paper tickets, thus far including Platform Tickets, 7 Day Bus & Tram Passes, In-Boundary Season Tickets, advance purchase singles, 7 Day Travelcards and most recently the One Day Bus & Tram Pass. 24) 61 escalators were refurbished between April 2020 and March 2024. 25) In the past three years there has only been one e-bike related fire on TfL services - at Rayners Lane Station on 27 February 2025.
26) Conductor rails are made of steel. The nominal electrical current rating is 4500A for 65kg/m and 6000A for 75kg/m. 27) When an electronic 'Emergency – Do not enter' sign is activated at a tube station, there are two levels of electronic sounder, the loudness being 110dB for 90 seconds, then automatically reverting to 90dB. 28) The service requirements for the Lioness line require eight units every day, half of which have 4 carriages and half of which have 5 carriages. 29) The changes introduced to ban e-bikes do not prevent an e-bike being brought onto TfL services if the battery has been removed, nor if the battery is brought on separate to the e-bike. 30) TfL does not typically prosecute individuals under 18 for fare evasion. Instead they may be issued with a Penalty Fare Notice.
