Boris urged to tackle Tube fare dodgers as TfL loses over £61m to fare evasion (Barnet and Camden)
Boris urged to tackle Tube fare dodgers as TfL loses over £61m to fare evasion
London Underground estimates it will lose over £61m to Tube fare evasion this year Labour London Assembly Member, Andrew Dismore AM, has revealed. The estimate means over 4.5 pence from every passenger journey on the Tube is now lost to fare evasion. Mr Dismore, whose analysis comes after the Government announced it would cut at least £700m from TfL grants, called for the Mayor to take “a far more rigorous approach” to tackling fare dodgers. He also called on the Mayor to reverse his decision to cut up to 897 station staff, saying it would be a “false economy” to cut staff from the ticket line if fare evasion subsequently rises.
Whilst across the Tube network the number of passenger journeys has increased substantially the amount lost to fare evasion has grown with 4.53 pence lost for every single Tube journey.
Analysis by Andrew Dismore AM in the autumn showed that ticket barriers at some stations in Camden were being left open for long periods, making life easier for fare dodgers. Ticket barriers at West Hampstead station were being left open for up to 9% of the time. Mr Dismore warned that plans to cut up to 897 station staff as part of Boris Johnson’s ticket office closures could see barriers left open longer leading to a bigger increase in money lost to fare evasion.
The £61m revelation comes after the government announced it would make significant cuts from TfL’s budget. Proposals set out by George Osborne during the Autumn Statement could see TfL lose £700m in revenue grant by 2019/20. Mr Dismore said “with TfL now having to watch every penny, we need to see a real clamp down on fare evasion on the Tube.”
Labour London Assembly Member, Andrew Dismore AM, said:
“With TfL having to watch every penny, we need to see a real clamp down on fare evasion on the Tube, but in reality Boris Johnson’s lax approach has meant over £61m being lost over the last year, that’s a monstrous amount.
“The government’s decision to slash at least £700m from TfL budgets could threaten a number of vital transport upgrade projects in London. With TfL being forced to do more for less, the Mayor should be doing all he can to claw back money lost to fare evasion. That means ensuring Tube stations, like West Hampstead station, are properly staffed so ticket barriers aren’t left open and it means upping inspections. If you maintain staff numbers you stand a better chance of reducing evasion and the staff pay for themselves. If you cut staff and fare evasions rise it’s a false economy.
“Londoners have a reputation for honesty. As fares rise again in the New Year, the overwhelming majority of Londoners who do pay their way will become increasingly frustrated that Boris Johnson isn’t making things tougher for those that don’t. We need a far more rigorous approach to this problem from the Mayor.”
ENDS
Notes
- In 2015, the yearly estimated loss in revenue due to fare evasions is estimated to be £61.47m.
- According to figures provided to Labour London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, Ms Shawcross AM, by TfL in September 2015 the revenue loss to London Underground based on the most recent evasion estimates is £61.47m per annum. The represents a fare evasion level of 2.54%. Table provided by TfL:
| Transport mode | Assessment method | % evasion | Revenue loss based on most recent evasion estimates per annum (circa) |
| Bus | Quarterly survey – last survey covered Apr – June | 1.3% (last result) | £18m |
| LU | 3 surveys per year to provide yearly average | 2.54% (annual result for last year) | £61.47m |
| London Overground | Quarterly survey | 2.13% (last quarter up to June) | £2m |
- Updated projections estimate that the number of journeys on London Underground will reach 1,358 million by the end of the 2015/16 financial year (found here, on page 26).
- The estimated amount lost per passenger journey, 4.53 pence in 2015/16, is calculated by dividing the estimated amount lost in fare evasion in one year by the number of passenger journeys made that year.
- TfL’s Fit for the Future report set out plans to cut 897 station staff as well as closing all the Underground network’s ticket offices. This can be found here.
- In October, Andrew Dismore AM revealed that ticket barriers at West Hampstead station in Camden were being left open for up to 9% of the time.
- A full list of the percentage of barriers being left open each period between 2011 and 2015, showing an increasing trend over the past 3 years, is available here. The full list of the percentage of time ticket barriers were found to be left open at Barnet and Camden stations in different time in periods during 2015 is below. Information was provided directly by TfL.
| Borough | Station | Period | Gate open |
| Barnet | High Barnet | 4 | 52.85% |
| Barnet | High Barnet | 2 | 52.60% |
| Barnet | High Barnet | 1 | 48.71% |
| Barnet | High Barnet | 3 | 48.23% |
| Barnet | Burnt Oak | 4 | 18.68% |
| Barnet | Totteridge & Whetstone | 4 | 18.56% |
| Barnet | Totteridge & Whetstone | 2 | 15.09% |
| Barnet | West Finchley | 2 | 11.91% |
| Barnet | West Finchley | 1 | 11.57% |
| Barnet | Totteridge & Whetstone | 1 | 11.50% |
| Barnet | Brent Cross | 4 | 11.19% |
| Barnet | Brent Cross | 1 | 10.73% |
| Barnet | East Finchley | 4 | 9.87% |
| Barnet | Totteridge & Whetstone | 3 | 9.81% |
| Barnet | Edgware | 3 | 9.67% |
| Barnet | Golders Green | 4 | 9.59% |
| Barnet | Finchley Central | 1 | 8.08% |
| Barnet | Finchley Central | 2 | 7.90% |
| Barnet | Finchley Central | 3 | 7.54% |
| Barnet | Brent Cross | 3 | 7.50% |
| Barnet | East Finchley | 1 | 7.18% |
| Barnet | West Finchley | 4 | 7.12% |
| Barnet | Burnt Oak | 2 | 7.11% |
| Barnet | West Finchley | 3 | 6.87% |
| Barnet | Edgware | 2 | 6.36% |
| Barnet | Woodside Park | 1 | 6.36% |
| Barnet | Golders Green | 3 | 6.21% |
| Barnet | Brent Cross | 2 | 6.12% |
| Barnet | East Finchley | 3 | 6.03% |
| Barnet | East Finchley | 2 | 6.02% |
| Barnet | Edgware | 1 | 5.95% |
| Barnet | Woodside Park | 4 | 5.53% |
| Barnet | Hendon Central | 4 | 5.23% |
| Barnet | Woodside Park | 3 | 4.82% |
| Barnet | Burnt Oak | 3 | 4.68% |
| Barnet | Finchley Central | 4 | 4.59% |
| Barnet | Woodside Park | 2 | 4.35% |
| Barnet | Golders Green | 2 | 3.93% |
| Barnet | Burnt Oak | 1 | 3.71% |
| Barnet | Edgware | 4 | 3.54% |
| Barnet | Hendon Central | 2 | 3.05% |
| Barnet | Golders Green | 1 | 2.94% |
| Barnet | Colindale | 4 | 2.88% |
| Barnet | Colindale | 2 | 2.81% |
| Barnet | Colindale | 1 | 2.01% |
| Barnet | Hendon Central | 3 | 1.86% |
| Barnet | Hendon Central | 1 | 1.74% |
| Barnet | Colindale | 3 | 1.53% |
| Camden | Goodge Street | 4 | 13.45% |
| Camden | West Hampstead | 1 | 9.00% |
| Camden | Goodge Street | 2 | 8.91% |
| Camden | Belsize Park | 4 | 8.66% |
| Camden | West Hampstead | 2 | 8.34% |
| Camden | West Hampstead | 3 | 8.18% |
| Camden | West Hampstead | 4 | 7.10% |
| Camden | Finchley Road | 1 | 7.00% |
| Camden | King’s Cross St. Pancras | 4 | 5.74% |
| Camden | Swiss Cottage | 2 | 4.38% |
| Camden | King’s Cross St. Pancras | 1 | 4.25% |
| Camden | Swiss Cottage | 4 | 4.04% |
| Camden | Warren Street | 4 | 3.42% |
| Camden | Warren Street | 3 | 3.39% |
| Camden | King’s Cross St. Pancras | 3 | 3.13% |
| Camden | Warren Street | 2 | 2.93% |
| Camden | Euston Square | 4 | 2.78% |
| Camden | Finchley Road | 3 | 2.67% |
| Camden | King’s Cross St. Pancras | 2 | 2.44% |
| Camden | Chancery Lane | 4 | 2.40% |
| Camden | Chancery Lane | 1 | 2.35% |
| Camden | Swiss Cottage | 1 | 2.29% |
| Camden | Warren Street | 1 | 2.28% |
| Camden | Finchley Road | 4 | 2.27% |
| Camden | Chancery Lane | 2 | 2.21% |
| Camden | Finchley Road | 2 | 2.03% |
| Camden | Belsize Park | 1 | 1.99% |
| Camden | Camden Town | 2 | 1.96% |
| Camden | Holborn | 1 | 1.92% |
| Camden | Kentish Town | 4 | 1.91% |
| Camden | Euston Square | 3 | 1.87% |
| Camden | Euston Square | 1 | 1.87% |
| Camden | Camden Town | 3 | 1.86% |
| Camden | Belsize Park | 2 | 1.76% |
| Camden | Chancery Lane | 3 | 1.66% |
| Camden | Swiss Cottage | 3 | 1.62% |
| Camden | Hampstead | 4 | 1.54% |
| Camden | Hampstead | 3 | 1.53% |
| Camden | Euston Square | 2 | 1.49% |
| Camden | Camden Town | 1 | 1.45% |
| Camden | Russell Square | 4 | 1.38% |
| Camden | Goodge Street | 1 | 1.31% |
| Camden | Euston | 4 | 1.27% |
| Camden | Hampstead | 1 | 1.23% |
| Camden | Chalk Farm | 4 | 1.20% |
| Camden | Hampstead | 2 | 1.09% |
| Camden | Holborn | 2 | 1.03% |
| Camden | Mornington Crescent | 1 | 1.02% |
| Camden | Camden Town | 4 | 0.86% |
| Camden | Holborn | 4 | 0.83% |
| Camden | Mornington Crescent | 3 | 0.79% |
| Camden | Russell Square | 3 | 0.69% |
| Camden | Goodge Street | 3 | 0.66% |
| Camden | Belsize Park | 3 | 0.65% |
| Camden | Russell Square | 2 | 0.61% |
| Camden | Russell Square | 1 | 0.60% |
| Camden | Euston | 3 | 0.51% |
| Camden | Euston | 2 | 0.50% |
| Camden | Holborn | 3 | 0.38% |
| Camden | Euston | 1 | 0.36% |
| Camden | Kentish Town | 2 | 0.28% |
| Camden | Chalk Farm | 2 | 0.20% |
| Camden | Chalk Farm | 1 | 0.16% |
| Camden | Mornington Crescent | 2 | 0.14% |
| Camden | Kentish Town | 3 | 0.13% |
| Camden | Chalk Farm | 3 | 0.12% |
| Camden | Kentish Town | 1 | 0.09% |
| Camden | Mornington Crescent | 4 | 0.07% |
- Andrew Dismore AM is the London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden
