TfL told stop leaving Tube ticket barriers open and get serious about fare dodging

80% of Londoners believe TfL is not doing enough to tackle fare evasion

Transport for London has been told to stop leaving ticket barriers open and unstaffed if it is to get serious about tackling fare evasion.

The call came from the London Assembly transport committee as part of a cross-party investigation into fare dodgers, who cost TfL up to £190m a year.

Fare-paying Londoners have become increasingly frustrated at the number of people seen blatantly forcing their way through barriers.

A recent survey by London TravelWatch found that 80% of Londoners said TfL was not doing enough to tackle fare evasion.

Last week The Standard revealed that evasion rates were up to 5.1% on the Tube and 7.8% on the Croydon tram network – about twice as bad as first thought.

Now the assembly has written to TfL and British Transport Police to raise concerns and urge greater efforts to target evaders.

The assembly committee said it was “concerned that unstaffed gatelines are not a priority for TfL” and called for it to monitor the practice – often used when staff are on breaks or off sick – over the next six month

It recommended that TfL “reconsider its approach to staffing stations and its routine use of lone working” to improve both the reality and perception of staff safety in the context of fare evasion.

TfL says it faces four types of fare dodgers: accidental, opportunistic, calculated and chronic.

It says it is considering whether to use facial recognition cameras - used to great effect during the Notting Hill carnival - to spot prolific evaders.

Jared Wood, London Transport Regional Organiser for the RMT union,told the committee that two of TfL’s four categories of fare evader, accidental and opportunistic, “are eliminated if the barrier is staffed and if it is up and running”.

The Committee also heard from Michael Roberts that one area Londoners want to see more action from TfL is on gatelines, he said “people do want to see gatelines used where they are available.”

He also said that where there are no gatelines in place they should be installed, and that TfL should ensure there are sufficient members of staff to operate these.

TfL is looking to introduce ticket barriers that are more difficult to force open.

TfL has set itself the target of reducing evasion from 3.5% to 1.5% by 2031 but the committee said “more is needed” to achieve the aim.