20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in December 2025
1) The number of train drivers employed on each of the tube lines is as follows: Northern 612, Central & W&C 521, Piccadilly 521, District 395, Jubilee 374, Circle & H&C 301, Metropolitan 300, Victoria 281, Bakerloo 193. 2) Tube stations without full step-free access have been sorted into one of seven ‘deliverability’ categories. Ruislip and Snaresbrook are 'relatively deliverable', the top category. Hornchurch and Hatton Cross are 'challenging', the second category. Upminster Bridge is ‘very difficult', the fourth category. 3) TfL have published a 119-page business case for Devolution of the Great Northern Inners (i.e. trains to Welwyn Garden City and Stevenage). They propose transferring 26 stations to TfL control, including Harringay, Hatfield and Hertford North. 4) So far this year 12 million Day Travelcards have been sold. 77% of these were Off Peak travelcards. 14% were for children. 5) One reason the Lioness line only runs every 15 minutes is that "the gaps between the signals are extremely large making it difficult to path extra trains into the timetable". 6) Only one upgraded Central line train has been returned to service this year, bringing the total to 3. The intention is still to have the remainder upgraded by 2029. 7) Since April, revenue from Silvertown and Blackwall Tunnel vehicle payments has been £37,089,974 and revenue from Penalty Charge Notices has been £34,964,893 (almost as much). 8) The busiest river pier is Westminster which is used by about 10000 river passengers per day, followed by Tower (8000) and Greenwich (6000). Barking Riverside sees only about 40 passengers depart daily. 9) In the last five years 4642 passengers have travelled from Abbey Road DLR to St John's Wood (presumably after seeing the sign saying they weren't at the right station for the Beatles zebra crossing). Less sensibly, 1853 journeys were recorded from St John's Wood to Abbey Road DLR. 10) There were 15 days when strike action impacted the tube in 2024, and only five such days in 2025.
11) The longest Maximum Journey Time, now that contactless has been extended far beyond London, is for journeys from Shoeburyness to Bletchley. 12) There are 431 Bus Stop Ms in Greater London (and 4 more outside). The Bus Stop M served by the most bus routes is on London Bridge with 18. The Bus Stop M served by the most daytime routes is Kingscourt Road in Streatham with 12. The borough with the most Bus Stop Ms is Bromley. The northernmost Bus Stop M is Bullsmoor Lane/Great Cambridge Road, the easternmost is St Laurence Church in Upminster, the southernmost is Park Rise in Leatherhead and the westernmost is Observatory Centre in Slough. 13) Since April 3,140,453 contactless cards have been checked on the DLR and 4472 penalty fares issued. In the previous twelve months only 2,849,265 contactless cards were checked and 2571 penalty fares issued. 14) Approximately half a million Dial-A-Ride journeys are made each year, for which TfL pays about £25m. 15) The average cost of a typical TfL uniform requirement is £310 per employee. Items of clothing that may be provided include two skirts or two pairs of trousers, also coat, pullover, gilet, polo shirt, tie, beanie, cravat, cardigan, fleecington, thermal bottoms, hi-vis vest, cap and boots/shoes. 16) 13 Central line vehicles are long term out of service, of which two are unlikely to return to operational use. 17) 548 TfL staff were paid more than £100K last year. 18) 6475 sexual offences have been recorded on Underground trains over the last 10 years. The Central line had the most (1596) and the Waterloo & City line the fewest (10). 19) The average interval between trains on the Victoria line is 2.5 minutes, on the Jubilee line 3.1 minutes, on the Northern line 3.3 minutes, on the Central line 3.4 minutes, on the District and Piccadilly lines 3.6 minutes, on the Metropolitan line 3.8 minutes, on the Waterloo & City line 4.1 minutes, on the Bakerloo line 4.2 minutes and on the Circle/Hammersmith & City lines 5.4 minutes. 20) TfL have not had any reports of alien and/or extra-terrestrial activity on any of their services.
