AI technology, hefty fines and staff wearing body cameras are just some of the new tools TfL is using to crack down on fare evasion on London Underground. After warning chancers in February that their days of fare evasion would soon be over, TfL has officially increased fines for barrier jumping from £80 to £100.
Since Sunday, March 3, fines for not paying your Tube toll have increased by 20 per cent. If paid within 21 days, the fine will be reduced to £50.
According to TfL, London Underground loses around £150m a year to fare evasion. Transport authorities have investigated 421 people on suspicion of repeat fare evasion who made more than 50,000 fraudulent journeys in 2023, costing TfL more than £300,000.
In one case, a passenger took 193 tube trips without paying a fare, costing TfL £1,200. Another passenger was ordered to collect £1,795.60 in unpaid ticket costs after he tried to defraud TfL by making payments with a bank card that had been out of balance for a year.
Sadiq Khan said: “TfL relies on fare income to provide Londoners with the safe, clean and reliable public transport they deserve.” Fare evasion deprives us of much-needed income, so I welcome this tough new action from TfL to step up enforcement and ensure more fare evaders are brought to justice.
“While the latest figures show that real progress is being made, I will continue to work with TfL and British Transport Police to crack down on fare evasion and deliver better, safer and fairer fare evasion for everyone. We’re going to build London.”
In some good news, TfL has scrapped Friday peak travel fares. It will come into effect from this week.
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