Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 15 June 2017 asking for information about ticket inspections across all transport modes.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and our information access policy. We do hold the information you require. You asked for:
The stations on all transport modes (Tube, National Rail, Overground, Trams and Bus routes) where inspectors conducted ticket checks, and the date for each station or route. Please supply this information from the dates 1 June 2016 to 1 June 2017.
Please could you also supply me with a list of the stations and Bus routes where inspectors will be conducting checks for the remainder of the year.
In accordance with the FOI Act, we are not obliged to supply information relating to the locations ticket inspections have taken or are due to take place as it is subject to a statutory exemption to the right of access to information under section 31(1) (a) and Section 31(1) (b), which exempt from disclosure information which would, or would be likely to prejudice the apprehension or prosecution of offenders or the exercise of functions for the purpose of ascertaining whether any person has failed to comply with the law.
In this instance the exemption has been applied as to provide the information you have asked for would in effect disclose a list of the locations at which we do and do not carry out enforcement activity. The purpose of enforcement is to tackle fare evasion, which is a criminal offence and can lead to a fine of up to £1000. Whilst we make no suggestion that you would use this information for anything other than you own personal interest, disclosure of this information to you has to be regarded as a disclosure to ‘the public at large’.
Disclosing information which reveals the locations where we do not enforce would be likely to lead to an increase in fare dodging at those locations, which in turn would adversely affect the fares revenue received for the public purse.
Fare evasion costs TfL millions in public money and takes money away from TfL that would allow us to develop our infrastructure. Honest passengers should not have to shoulder the burden for those who do not pay, so protecting public money is a priority for TfL. We have strategies in place to tackle fare evasion head on and a commitment to reduce any form of ticketing irregularities.
The use of this exemption is subject to an assessment of the public interest in relation to the disclosure of the information concerned. We recognise the need for openness and transparency by public authorities, but in this instance feels that balance lies in favour of withholding the information to minimise the risk of any future fare evasion which would in turn affect the funds available for future investment.
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
Jasmine Howard
FOI Case Officer
Information Governance
