TfL Steps Up Fare Evasion Crackdown
TfL has sharply increased fare evasion enforcement across the capital, issuing more penalty fares, carrying out millions more checks and securing thousands of convictions as it works to reduce fare dodging on buses, Tubes and trains.
For most passengers, tapping in and out is a routine part of daily travel. For TfL, every unpaid journey adds pressure to a transport network that relies heavily on fare income to keep services running. That is why the organisation is putting greater resources into enforcement, with a long-term target of cutting fare evasion to below 1.5 per cent by 2030/31.
TfL’s focus on managing demand across the capital comes ahead of major international events,. Staffing issues meanwhile continue to affect how effectively TfL responds to rising passenger demand and day-to-day service pressures.
Over the past financial year, it issued 69,001 penalty fares, up nine per cent on the previous year. Enforcement teams also produced 21,533 Irregularity Reports for possible prosecution, an increase of 18.7 per cent.
A major focus has been the misuse of contactless payment cards. TfL checked 6.9 million contactless cards during the year, a rise of more than 50 per cent. Revenue Inspection Charges linked to invalid contactless travel generated £5.4 million, up 141.6 per cent compared with the previous year.
Bus enforcement activity has also increased. Inspectors checked 3.3 million passengers, around 400,000 more than the year before.
TfL says enforcement is taking place across the network throughout the day and night, using both staff inspections and technology to identify passengers travelling without the correct ticket or fare payment.
The organisation secured 14,406 fare evasion convictions during the year, 955 more than in the previous reporting period. Court awards linked to those cases rose by 24.6 per cent to £2.6 million.
One recent prosecution involved a passenger repeatedly travelling with a bank card that had been placed on TfL’s denied travel list. Following an investigation by TfL’s fare evasion team, the individual pleaded guilty and admitted a further 181 offences. The court ordered payments totalling £2,131, with most of the money returning to TfL through compensation and costs.
Enforcement teams are also continuing to target gate-pushing, where passengers force their way through ticket barriers without paying. During the year, 4,428 people were reported for possible prosecution for this type of offence.
TfL argues that tackling fare evasion is also linked to staff safety. Revenue disputes are associated with around 40 per cent of reported work-related violence and aggression incidents involving frontline employees. To address this, the organisation is expanding its Transport Support Enforcement workforce by 50 officers, including 36 focused on overnight shifts.
The latest figures suggest fare evasion in London is moving in the right direction. The estimated rate now stands at 3.5 per cent, down from 3.9 per cent in 2022/23. While still above TfL’s long-term target, the rate remains lower than that reported in many major cities around the world.
The work forms part of TfL’s fare evasion strategy launched in April 2025. The plan introduced a more intelligence-led approach to enforcement, with greater use of investigations, data analysis and targeted action against repeat offenders.
How should London balance stronger enforcement with keeping public transport accessible for everyone? Read more London transport and infrastructure coverage from EyeOnLondon.
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