ADD2515 TravelTime Platform Application Programming Interface

1.1. The GLA produces a number of interactive web maps for use by the public and professionals. The ability to show travel times from a chosen location and to filter search results by travel time and mode adds value to high profile maps including the London Schools Atlas and Workspaces map.

1.2. The 2050 Infrastructure Mapping Application contains information about over 12,000 development projects across London and over the next 20 years. At present, users can filter the projects by area (such as Ward, or Opportunity Area). However, the next stage of development requires the ability to show the benefits of new infrastructure and model the impacts of construction. Both of these are best understood by time contours as well as distance contours.

1.3. The TravelTime platform from TravelTime Technologies Ltd (formerly iGeolise) is based on a regularly-updated database of timetables including national rail services, as well as TfL-run services. As well as public transport, it provides estimates of walking, cycling and driving times. The API (application programming interface) has been in use by the GLA since 2014 with authority provided by DAR ‘Travel Time Search API’ (4/11/2014), ADD2005, ADD2249 and ADD2442.

1.4. The requirement is for the ability to generate travel time catchments or contours, based on a chosen location, travel mode and time. For environmental assessments (such as noise from a construction site) distance is typically used. However, for understanding people’s movements, decisions (such as commutes to work, or visits to attractions) are based more on the amount of time that people are willing to travel (which may not be a perfect circle, due to fast roads, rail links, natural barriers, etc.).

1.5. The GLA has two broad types of use for travel time catchments:

• as part of wider pieces of analysis by the City Intelligence Unit (for instance, the current work assessing the health of high streets); and

• as part of an interactive web map (for instance the Schools Atlas, https://maps.london.gov.uk/schools).

1.6. There are three particular requirements for the solution:

• The travel time contours need to be generated on demand. There are an infinite number of possible starting locations and a very large number of time/mode combinations, meaning that purchasing a set of predefined catchments is not practical.

• Work via an API (where queries are sent to the supplier and answers received in return). This supports use 1 (for GLA analysts) and also means that a seamless experience can be created for users of web maps.

• A charging plan that allows for a large number of different queries to be submitted and contours to be created (this is needed to support public facing GLA web maps where a user could click anywhere in London to generate a catchment).

1.7. Section 9 of the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code requires that services/supplies with an estimated value of between £10,000 and £150,000 should be procured competitively. However, Section 10 provides that an exemption from this requirement may be approved where a supplier has had previous involvement in a specific current project or the where the work proposed is a continuation of existing work, which cannot be separated from the new work. Desk-based market scanning was carried out by the GLA in preparation for this ADD. The outcome of market scanning process was that TravelTime Technologies Ltd provided the closest product to the requirements, in that it generates a ‘travel catchment’ based on chosen location, travel mode and time, it works via an API behind the scenes, meaning that users do not have to navigate away from the GLA map to visit another page and it has a charging plan that allows for a large number of different queries to be submitted and contours to be created.

1.8. There are lots of suppliers of single journey travel tools (i.e. tools that answer the question “I want to go from A to B”). However, the creation of travel time contours involves generating all possible routes, then joining up the endpoints to create a shape. This is a more powerful tool for analysis, but it is a highly specialist service with a very small pool of current suppliers. It is not available via an existing framework.

1.9. The GLA’s inhouse GIS team is able to generate ‘walking catchments’ or ‘driving catchments’ from a fixed number of points (for instance, to identify access to green space or town centres) using desktop GIS. However, a service that also includes public transport and the ability to create catchments on demand for any starting point in London is not available inhouse. There is, therefore, a lack of meaningful competition for the services and supplies required and so, given TravelTime Technologies Ltd’s previous licensing to the GLA of the TravelTime API and the GLA’s use of the same, it is unlikely that an alternative provider would be able to provide a more economically advantageous bid than TravelTime Technologies Ltd if a competitive procurement exercise were to be conducted.

2.1. The licence will allow the GLA to access the TravelTime platform via its API, sending a series of queries and receiving answers in return.

2.2. The API will be accessed by the following GLA maps:

• Schools Atlas;

• Cultural Infrastructure Map;

• 2050 Infrastructure Map;

• Infrastructure Mapping Application; and

• Retail/High Streets analysis.

3.1. The GLA has taken appropriate steps to ensure that there are no potential negative impacts expected on those with protected characteristics as required by the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED). Those with protected characteristics will gain from the positive benefits of the TravelTime platform as it brings together a range of public transport, pedestrian and cycling options into a single place as part of the user’s decision-making process. There will be equality of access to the GLA web maps using TravelTime, without discrimination.

a) Key risks and issues

4.1. Possible risk – Non-delivery

Mitigation – Delivery is via web-based key, available immediately

4.2. Possible risk – transport data is out-of-date

Mitigation – data is updated weekly



4.3. Possible risk – Not compatible with GLA systems

Mitigation – Uses well-established web standards and is already in use on GLA web applications

4.4. Possible risk – GLA unable to deliver analysis

Mitigation – Purchase access to this service

b) Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities

4.5. The work carried out by the GLA using this analysis, complements the work of Transport for London. TfL’s responsibilities include managing and developing the transport network, whereas the GLA projects concern interventions in specific destinations.

4.6. Example 1 – High Streets Recovery Mission. The GLA is working with the London Boroughs and other local organisations to understand the impact of COVID-19 and develop adaption and recovery programmes. The TravelTime API is required to understand the demographics of visitors to each of London’s 600 High Streets.

4.7. Example 2 - Schools Atlas. The Atlas is part of the Mayor's programme of initiatives aimed at driving up standards in education and ensuring there are enough places for all children in the city.

4.8. Example 3 - 2050 Infrastructure Mapping Application. Ensuring that there is sufficient (non-transport) infrastructure to support London’s projected population growth.

c) Consultation

4.9. Officers from other directorates who make use of the service have been consulted and support its renewal. The project does not process personal data and so does not fall under GDPR or require a Data Protection Impact Assessment.

4.10. GLA officers involved in the drafting or clearance of this form do not have any conflicts of interest to declare.

5.1. Assistant Director’s approval is sought for expenditure of £24,000 for 24 months access to the Travel Time API from TravelTime Technologies Ltd. This will be funded from City Data and GIS team’s 2021-22 (£12,000) and 2022-23 (£12,000) budget that is part of City Intelligence Unit within Strategy and Communications Directorate. It should be noted that funding for 2022-23 will be subject to 2022-23 budget setting process and approvals.

6.1. The foregoing sections of this report indicate that: the decisions requested of the Assistant Director concern the exercise of the GLA’s general powers, falling within the GLA’s statutory powers to do such things considered to further or which are facilitative of, conducive or incidental to the promotion of economic development and wealth creation, social development or the promotion of the improvement of the environment in Greater London. In formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought officers have complied with the GLA’s related statutory duties to:

• pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people;

• consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom; and

• consult with appropriate bodies.

6.2. In taking the decisions requested, the Assistant Director must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty - namely the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010, and to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (race, disability, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity and gender reassignment) and persons who do not share it (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, the Assistant Director should have particular regard to section 3 (above) of this report.



6.3. Section 9.1 of the Contracts and Funding Code (the ‘Code’) requires the GLA to call-off services with a value of that concerned here from a suitable framework, where possible, or if not, to undertake a competitive process managed by TfL Commercial in respect of the services required. However, the Assistant Director may approve an exemption from this requirement under section 10 of the Code upon certain specified grounds. One of those grounds is that a contract may be let without competition where a supplier has had previous involvement in a specific current project or the services concerned are a continuation of existing work that cannot be separated from the new project/work. On this basis the Assistant Director may approve the proposed exemption if satisfied with the content of this report.

6.4. In the event that the Assistant Director makes the decisions sought officers must ensure that all appropriate license agreements are entered into by the GLA and TravelTime Technologies Ltd.