Taller Barriers and Dedicated Taskforce Proposed as TfL Fare Evasion Hits Six-Year High

Calls for stronger measures after rise in prosecutions

City Hall Conservatives have urged Transport for London (TfL) to install taller ticket barriers, deploy dedicated station teams and create a cross-agency taskforce to curb fare evasion after prosecutions on the Tube reached their highest level in six years for 2023-24.

Figures obtained by the BBC show prosecutions for fare evasion on the Tube increased in 2023-24. Thomas Turrell, the Conservative transport spokesman, said the mayor of London "continues to pay lip service to the problem" despite widespread concern among Tube users.

TfL response and enforcement activity

TfL defended its approach, saying a "data-driven strategy" has already reduced the pan-TfL fare evasion rate from 3.8% to 3.5% in 2023-24. The transport body reported it spent nearly £14.2m targeting fare dodging on the Tube and £7.7m on the bus network during 2023-24, while collecting £1.3m in penalty charges.

Penalty fares stand at £100, reduced to £50 if paid within 21 days.

In a statement TfL said fare evasion is a criminal offence that deprives Londoners of investment in "safe, clean and reliable public transport." It added:

"We're strengthening our efforts to detect and deter fare evaders, including expanding our team of professional investigators, focusing enforcement on locations with high levels of gate-pushing and using the latest technology to target the most prolific offenders across the network."

Political debate and proposals

The Conservatives pointed to TfL's own target to reduce fare evasion from 3.4% to 1.5% by 2030 and warned that, based on current trends, that target "simply isn't going to happen." Turrell said: "Every Londoner has watched someone push through the barriers or jump over them to avoid paying the fare... Londoners are fed up with watching this happen unchallenged."

Elly Baker, chair of the London Assembly's Transport Committee, accused the Conservatives of "political grandstanding," noting a recent cross-party committee report that recommended improving staffing to boost safety and confidence. Baker said the Conservatives could have fed their ideas into that process rather than seeking publicity.

Earlier this year, shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick posted a social media video confronting people he said had not paid fares, saying he was "sick to death of people fare dodging" and wanted to highlight the issue.

What is being proposed?

• Taller, harder-to-jump ticket barriers at busy stations;
• Dedicated station enforcement teams focused on persistent evasion hotspots;
• A multi-agency taskforce to coordinate data, investigations and prosecutions;
• Targeted use of technology and expanded investigator teams to catch repeat offenders.

Context

The debate reflects contrasting views on whether infrastructure improvements (like taller barriers), increased staffing, or more targeted enforcement will be most effective in reducing losses and restoring passenger confidence. Prosecutions are at their highest level in six years, but TfL points to a modest fall in the overall evasion rate and says its current strategy will further reduce evasion and bring persistent offenders to justice.