AI technology, higher fines and staff wearing body cameras are just some of the new methods TfL is using to clamp down on fare evasion on the London Underground. After warning chancers that their fare dodging days were soon to be over in February, TfL has now officially upped the penalty for barrier jumping from £80 to £100.
Since Sunday March 3, the fine for not paying for the tube has grown by 20 percent. If paid within 21 days, the fine will be reduced to £50.
Fare dodgers cost the London Underground around £150 million per year, TfL said. The transport authority investigated 421 people for habitual fare evasion in 2023 who made more than 50,000 fraudulent journeys, costing TfL more than £300,000.
In one case, one passenger made 193 trips on the tube without paying any fares, owing TfL £1,200. Another passenger tried to defraud TfL by paying with a bank card that had insufficient funds for an entire year – they were then ordered to cough up £1,795.60 for unpaid tickets.
Sadiq Khan said: ‘TfL relies on revenue from fares to be able to deliver the safe, clean and reliable public transport that Londoners deserve. Fare evasion deprives us of much needed revenue and so I welcome this tough new action from TfL to increase enforcement and ensure more fare evaders are brought to justice.
‘Latest figures show real progress is being made, but I will continue to work with TfL and the British Transport Police to crack down on fare evasion, and build a better, safer and fairer London for everyone.’
In some good news, TfL has scrapped peak travel fares for Fridays. It comes into effect this week.
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