Request ID: FOI-0922-2122 Date published: 27 August 2021
You asked
I would like to know how many fines have been imposed on people for not wearing masks on the TFL network since they became mandatory.
I would also like to know how many people have been refused a journey for not wearing a mask. This second part was written as a warning on adverts.
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-0922-2122 Thank you for your request of 6th August 2021 asking for information about the number of fines issued for passengers not wearing masks on the TfL network. 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. Your questions are answered in turn below. Note that face covering regulations for public transport came into place on the 15th June 2020 with enforcement starting on Saturday 4 July 2020. Our initial approach was to focus on engagement and explanation of the new requirement by frontline staff, through extensive customer-facing communications. Over three weeks following the initial announcement, over 100,000 complementary facemasks were handed out by frontline staff at the busiest train and bus stations to encourage compliance, supported by a visible police and uniformed presence once mandatory face coverings on public transport were announced. We have been running an extensive communications campaign that has included posters and PA announcements to make our customers aware. We also put measures in place for our operational teams to report issues to us.
The requirement to wear a face covering continues to be a condition of carriage on all TfL services from July 19 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: 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. Question 1: I would like to know how many fines have been imposed on people for not wearing masks on the TFL network since they became mandatory. Since 4th July 2020 and up to the date of your request, 4,370 Fixed Penalty Notices were issued. Question 2: I would also like to know how many people have been refused a journey for not wearing a mask. Over the same period, 215,668 people were 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.
14,094 people were prevented from boarding a service or entering a station, and 3,272 were ejected from a service or station. 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
