TfL set to increase fare fines

TRANSPORT for London (TfL) is planning to increase the fines that fare-dodgers pay from £80 to at least £100.

In the latest update from TfL commissioner Andy Byford, plans have been announced to hike the penalty fare from the current rate.

The change in level of fine will hit passengers on the London Underground, buses, trams, DLR and river crossings.

Mr Byford said: “We are strengthening our activity across all modes to protect our revenue from fare evasion and fraud – our recent focus has been to review our approach to chronic fare evaders.”

The TfL chief added: “We have held a series of workshops with enforcement teams and policing partners to better tackle blatant fare evaders who push through gates, barge past staff or our drivers and frequently abuse our people. We are currently drafting proposals to increase our penalty fare for those who do not pay for their journeys.

“The Department for Transport has recently announced that the penalty fare for the national rail network will increase to £100, reduced to £50 if paid within 21 days.

“Our current penalty fare is set at £80 and we are starting a consultation to bring this in line with train operators.”

In its penalty fares policy, the transport body states: “Fare evasion costs Londoners millions of pounds a year.

“This is money which could and should be used to further improve public transport.

“The penalty fare is one of several tools available to minimise this revenue loss and deter individuals from committing fare evasion.”

A penalty fare notice is issued when a passenger travelling on a TfL service fails to produce on demand a valid ticket or permission to travel when required to do so by staff.

Those suspected of fare evasion “risk prosecution” which may result in criminal conviction, a TfL spokesperson said.

It can include a fine of up to £1,000 and in some cases imprisonment.

The transport body recently announced plans to strengthen its revenue protection team, with proposals to “deploy more officers more flexibly” across the London Underground.

In 2019, TfL tweeted: “If you think our penalty fares are unfair...please think about the £116 million we lose every year to fare evasion.

“This is money that should be reinvested in the transport network.

“Please pay the correct fare.”