Request ID: FOI-0008-2223 Date published: 22 April 2022
You asked
Hi, if you have been stopped by a Revenue inspector and they have referred you to the prosecutions team and have not offered a Penalty on the spot, is there anything you can do in the meantime whilst waiting for the letter in the post and anyone to contact to plead your case? Also how long does a penalty remain on your file for when under 18?
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-0008-2223
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 2nd April 2022 asking for information about prosecutions for under 18s for fare evasion.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.
Specifically you asked:
“Hi, if you have been stopped by a Revenue inspector and they have referred you to the prosecutions team and have not offered a Penalty on the spot, is there anything you can do in the meantime whilst waiting for the letter in the post and anyone to contact to plead your case? Also how long does a penalty remain on your file for when under 18?”
In answer to your first question, you can write to [email protected], with your name, date and time of travel, mode of travel and the location you were stopped. Anyone reported to TfL for further investigations will always be sent a verification letter allowing them to confirm their details and to respond to us with their mitigation, as to why they were on our services without the appropriate ticket. Once received we will review and respond. If we have not received any response back then the case will proceed in accordance with our prosecution policy (see here: https://content.tfl.gov.uk/revenue-enforcement-and-prosecution-policy.pdf). However, any correspondence received will always cause the case to be reviewed.
In answer to your second question, TfL does not prosecute under 18s for fare evasion. With regards to Penalty Fare Notices, TfL’s retention policy is 7 years.
If this is not the information you are looking for please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.
Yours sincerely,
David Wells FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
