TfL fare evasion falls but Tories demand more enforcement in Barnet
Conservative figures say £190m annual losses show City Hall is failing London commuters
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Transport for London’s fare evasion rate has dropped to 3.3%, but Conservative politicians say the £190m annual loss shows City Hall is failing commuters. Westminster councillor Festus Akinbusoye called for an end to bonuses for TfL officials, arguing the money should fund more enforcement officers instead.
The latest figures, published in TfL’s July report, show 3.3% of journeys went unpaid in 2023/24, down from 3.9% the previous year. That still amounts to 126 million free trips annually across buses, tubes and trains, or 2.4 million every week.
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Prosecutions halve since 2020
Conservative London Assembly member Neil Garratt said prosecutions for fare evasion fell from 29,113 in 2020 to 14,406 in the most recent year. TfL employs 500 enforcement officers, the same number as in 2010, despite a growing network and rising passenger numbers.
Akinbusoye, a former police and crime commissioner, said the system rewards failure. He pointed to TfL’s July report, which showed 2,048 staff received more than £100,000 in total compensation, including bonuses and overtime. Commissioner Andy Lord earned £635,533 last year.
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Taxpayers are subsidising the criminal choices of those who choose not to pay, and people in City Hall are being rewarded for failure. This is wrong.
Festus Akinbusoye, Westminster councillor
Akinbusoye said the £165m lost to evasion on the Tube and Elizabeth Line alone could fund 2,000 more enforcement officers. He called for taller barriers at stations, similar to those in New York, to stop people jumping or crawling under them.
TfL defends enforcement strategy
A TfL spokesperson said the drop in evasion shows its strategy is working. The agency issued 69,000 penalty fares last year and referred 21,000 individuals for prosecution. Officers focus on high-risk areas and prolific evaders, using technology to target repeat offenders.
TfL aims to reduce fare evasion to 1.5% by the 2030/31 financial year. The spokesperson said the current approach will ensure more persistent evaders face justice. Barnet commuters, who saw fares rise 5.5% last year, are among those affected by the losses.
What happens next
City Hall Conservatives have proposed a 10-point plan to tackle evasion, including AI-enabled ticket barriers and a public awareness campaign. TfL has not confirmed whether it will adopt the measures. The next formal step is a review of enforcement data, expected in early 2025.
Questions this report answers
+How much does fare evasion cost London each year?
Fare evasion costs London an estimated £190m annually. TfL’s latest figures show 3.3% of journeys go unpaid, down from 3.9% the previous year, but still amounting to 126 million free trips.
+What is TfL’s target for fare evasion?
TfL aims to reduce fare evasion to 1.5% or less by the 2030/31 financial year. The current rate is 3.3%, down from 3.9% in 2022/23, with enforcement focusing on high-risk areas and repeat offenders.
+How many fare evasion prosecutions were there last year?
Prosecutions for fare evasion fell to 14,406 in the most recent year, down from 29,113 in 2020. TfL issued 69,000 penalty fares last year and referred 21,000 individuals for prosecution.
+What changes do Conservatives want to reduce fare evasion?
Conservatives propose taller barriers at stations, AI-enabled ticket gates, and a public awareness campaign. They argue the £165m lost on the Tube and Elizabeth Line could fund 2,000 more enforcement officers.
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