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TfL Uses 1,022 Ad Partners to Track London Traffic Updates
Users seeking road conditions across the capital must first navigate cookie settings that involve extensive data-sharing arrangements.
How we reported this
Transport for London’s traffic status page lists 1,022 advertising partners and 794 vendors that process user data through cookies. The figures appear directly on the site at tfl.gov.uk/traffic/status/ when visitors reach the consent screen.
London drivers and commuters rely on the page for current road conditions before heading out. With the capital’s road network under constant pressure from construction, events and daily peak flows, quick access to status information helps people adjust routes in real time. Delays in loading the page because of cookie prompts can therefore affect journey planning for thousands of residents each day.
Data handling on the TfL platform
The consent notice states that the 1,022 partners use device identifiers, browser details and location signals to deliver advertising and analyse traffic on the site. A further 794 vendors are listed under the purposes section. Consent choices remain stored for up to 13 months in local browser storage before the prompt reappears. Users can reject all non-essential cookies or accept only those needed for basic site functions such as journey planning.
Essential cookies alone allow movement between secure areas and core tasks without storing advertising-related data. Performance cookies, which the notice says do not identify individuals, still gather aggregated information on how people navigate the traffic updates. Londoners who select the minimal setting therefore keep the page functional while limiting broader data use by the listed partners.
Practical steps for readers
Anyone opening the traffic status page can choose “Accept only essential cookies” at the first prompt to bypass most partner tracking. The same menu offers a “Manage cookies” option for finer control over purposes and individual vendors. These selections apply only to the TfL domain and do not affect other websites.
Regular visitors who want to review their choices can return to the cookie settings link at the bottom of the page. The 13-month storage period means preferences do not need resetting daily, yet the prompt will reappear once that window expires. Checking the status page with essential cookies enabled remains the quickest route to London road information without engaging the full partner network.