Fare evasion crackdown, TfL hopes to cut offences by 2030
TfL is ramping up its efforts to combat fare evasion, introducing a comprehensive strategy aimed at reducing offences to 1.5% by 2030. Currently, fare evasion stands at 3.4%, costing TfL approximately £130 million annually, funds that could otherwise enhance London’s transport services .
Central to this initiative is the expansion of TfL’s professional investigations team, which will now cover the Elizabeth line and London Overground, following successes on the Underground. These investigators will employ the Irregular Travel Analysis Platform (ITAP), a sophisticated system analysing ticketing data, passenger information, and CCTV to identify habitual fare dodgers.
In a notable case, an individual evaded fares on 202 journeys using a contactless payment card and was subsequently fined £1,472. Such targeted enforcement underscores TfL’s commitment to holding repeat offenders accountable .
Beyond technological measures, TfL is addressing blatant fare evasion tactics like gate-pushing, which not only result in revenue loss but also pose safety risks to staff and passengers. To counter this, more than 500 uniformed officers are being deployed across the network, with enhanced authority to refuse entry and remove offenders from stations.
Mayor Sadiq Khan emphasised the importance of these measures, stating, “Fare evasion is a criminal offence which deprives TfL of thousands of pounds of vital revenue every year that could be reinvested in London’s transport network.”
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