FOI request detail

Enforcement Officers

Request ID: FOI-0775-2122
Date published: 04 August 2021

You asked

How many enforcement officers does TFL currently employ who's role includes enforcement of the mask wearing rule imposed by the Mayor of London. How many people have been ejected from the tube or bus network for not wearing a mask over the past 16 months during the legal requirement to wear a mask being in force?

We answered

TfL Ref: 0775 - 21/22

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 19 July 2021 asking for information about the enforcement of face masks on the tube and bus networks.
 
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.  I can confirm that we hold the information you require. You asked: How many enforcement officers does TFL currently employ who's role includes enforcement of the mask wearing rule imposed by the Mayor of London.  How many people have been ejected from the tube or bus network for not wearing a mask over the past 16 months during the legal requirement to wear a mask being in force?
The requirement to wear a face covering continues to be a condition of carriage on all TfL services from 19 July 2021 when the national regulations changed, and the Mayor has said TfL will keep this, subject to ongoing review. Conditions of Carriage are contractual conditions between passengers and TfL, with existing conditions. The Conditions of Carriage can be found on our website here: https://content.tfl.gov.uk/tfl-conditions-of-carriage.pdf
TfL’s frontline station staff and bus drivers will continue to remind passengers that face coverings are a requirement. TfL’s specially trained enforcement officers who patrol the transport network to ensure customers and staff remain safe will take a more proactive role, and will refuse entry to people not wearing masks and who are not exempt. They will also be able to ask people to leave services for failure to comply with the requirement.

TfL employs approximately 400 enforcement staff whose role includes the enforcement of the mask wearing requirement.

Between Saturday 4 July 2020 and Sunday 18 July 2021, 3,254 passengers were asked to leave our services by our enforcement officers and since enforcement began, over 215,000 people have been stopped by TfL enforcement officers from getting on our public transport services until they put on a face covering. Most complied by getting their face covering from their bag or pocket, putting it on correctly or purchasing one from a nearby shop.


If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, 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


Sara Thomas
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London
 

Back to top

Want to make a request?

We'll email you the response within 20 working days.


We'll publish the response online without disclosing any personal information.