TfL Ref: 0978-1819

Thank you for your email received by us on 6 July 2018 asking for information about our ticketing machines

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 some of the information you require. You asked:

Please let me know the total amount of how many 250 Iranian Rial coins have been found in your ticket machines over the past ten years. This is the coin i am referring to - https://en.numista.com/catalogue/photo1689.jpeg - on this link. I am asking about your ticket machines on all modes of transport that you operate (eg - London Underground / London Overground / TFL Rail / Docklands Light Railway / Croydon Tram / Buses / Cable Car / Ferries - etc).

Also please confirm if any prosecutions have been made relating to fraudsters using these 250 Iranian Rial coins in your ticket machines and if so how many prosecutions have been made over the past ten years.

These 250 Iranian Rial coins are worth less than 1p (about 1/10th of a penny to be exact) and are the exact same size/weight/length/dimensions as ordinary British Pound £2 coins. Therefore ticket machines and vending machines etc all accept them and recognise them as a £2 coin (despite them only being worth less than 1p).

Also to clarify just so there is no confusion "250" is the value of the coin in Iranian Rial (similar to how we have a "£2" pound coin for example). I am not referring to 250 different coins.

London Underground

We do not hold this information. I can advise that the type of foreign currency identified in the revenue taken from our machines is not recorded. Coins are collected on our behalf by the cash4coins company. If you would like to contact cash4coins directly, please see their website at: https://www.cash4coins.co.uk/ Please note that as a private company, cash4coins are not legally obliged to respond under the Freedom of Information Act legislation.

Emirates Air Line

There are no reported instances of this currency being used.

London River Services

London River Services does not have any ticket vending machines.

London Tramlink

We do not hold this information. We have no record of such currency being used in ticket machines located along the trams network.

London Overground

We do not hold this information; details of the type of currency used are not recorded.

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
Transport For London