Why can't I find timetables?

The working timetables can be found by hitting foi@tube.tfl.gov.uk (Freedom of Information Act), or by using the journey planner? Correct me if I'm wrong.

The good old FOI act. It won't always get you what you want. There are often reasons why internal documents are designed to be just that. The journey planner would be a very time consuming way of researching the whole timetable - and would not be very accurate to be honest. It also won't show empty stock moves and the like which are in the timetable.

Apart from lines with less-frequent services (such as the north end of the Met) customers need only be advised that trains will run at certain frequencies. Much of the network operates as a "turn up and go" system - you arrive at a platform, and within a few minutes (or sometimes much less) a train to your destination will arrive.

The timetables are there for those of us who run the railway, to enable us to maintain the service customers seek. Much as some of the information within may be very interesting to those of us who frequent here, there are those who would abuse having the full timetable. This is why they are not made freely available.

I'm not being a spoilsport here - I have, in the past made certain timetable information public on here, and other members also do so within reason. However, we are not allowed to supply too much information.

Once a timetable becomes out of date, they will quite often turn up in places such as ebay. Much as I'm sure the company do not condone such sales, the information is much less sensitive and therefore less of a concern.

I must admit that, as a taxpayer, I find it objectionable that people are using the FoI Act to obtain working timetables. Why should LUL be put to the expense of the staff time, printing, and postage to send them to people who have an interest, but who don't actually 'need' them (unlike LUL staff). Also, why are so many of the FoI requestors so rude? Many of the requests are along the lines of 'Please supply the following information ... You have 20 days to comply', followed by (when the 20 days have elapsed) 'I demand that the request be fulfilled and an internal review be held'. This all costs money which would be better spent on providing services. As a (non-transport) related example, the FCO received an FoI inquiry asking how much each Embassy had spend on Ferrero Rocher chocolates in 2010. Whilst being mildly amusing, in these times of austerity, what possible use can it be getting a civil servant to send an e-mail to 270 posts around the world and then collate the response and send it back.
Sorry. Rant over.

That's indeed useless. But the FoIA also is useful...

The timetables are information you are supposed to see. You shouldn't hear about the bribes of the evil oil corporations

I have no idea. I'm just aware that the question was asked from the eye-rolling that it caused.

the problem with saying that "money could be better spent on doing [xyz]" is who makes the decision as to what falls into that category. Most of the dubiousness that goes on could be argued is part of getting oil flowing/keeping our enemies at bay etc etc.

Anyway, the act does provide for a proportionate search, so properly frivolous requests *can* be ignored as disproportionate, priovided that a proper assesment is done.

As long as the information is right, there's no reason why it can't be scrawled on the back of an envelope. It's a disclosure of information, not documents...

Looking at the original post as a whole did the OP actually mean WTTs in the technical sense? I suspect that what he means are simply full public timetables.