Transport for London is vowing to crack down on ‘blatant’ fare evasion on its trains, such as pushing through Underground ticket gates.
The team of dedicated investigators is being enlarged, and it will focus on ‘the most persistent and high-impact offenders’, who cost TfL thousands of pounds in lost revenue each year.
TfL said its new strategy has already succeeded on the Underground, where more than £400,000 was awarded to TfL by the courts last year following the prosecution of 360 prolific fare evaders. Attention will now be turning to the Overground and the Elizabeth Line, followed by other rail modes.
By analysing travel patterns, the team will focus on those who evade fares repeatedly, ensuring they are caught and held accountable. TfL also maintains a register of repeat offenders to help with enforcement and potential prosecution.
One major area of concern is contactless card fare evasion. In one recent case, a passenger used a contactless payment card to evade the correct fare for 202 journeys. After investigation, the person involved was ordered to pay £1,472 in fines.
TfL’s director of security, policing and enforcement Siwan Hayward said: ‘The overwhelming majority of customers pay the correct fare, and it’s unfair to those who do that a minority avoid paying. We are strengthening our capability to deter and detect fare evaders ensuring they face the consequences of their actions and that the cost of fare evasion is paid by the evaders, not our fare paying customers or taxpayers. Fare evasion is not a victimless crime. It robs Londoners of vital investment in a safe, frequent and reliable transport network and we are committed to reducing the current rate of fare evasion to 1.5 per cent by 2030.’
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