Request ID: FOI-1898-2122 Date published: 15 December 2021
You asked
Dear TfL,
I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request the following information:
1. Figures of the number of people who have been fined or prosecuted for not wearing a mask on public transport in London since 19 July 2021.
2. The number of people prosecuted or fined who did not have to pay their fine, or who had their fine dismissed.
3. The reasons these fines were dismissed.
4. The number of cases where fines were unsuccessfully appealed against.
5. The reason(s) provided by the accused for fines to be dismissed in each unsuccessful appeal case.
We answered
TfL Ref: 1898-2122
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 23 November 2021 asking for information about the number of people who have been fined or prosecuted for not wearing a mask on public transport in London since 19 July 2021.
Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold the information you require.
Since March 2020, TfL has mobilised hundreds of our enforcement staff, who worked alongside officers from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and the British Transport Police (BTP), to intervene with customers who were not complying with the legal requirement to wear a face covering on our public transport services or in our stations and who do not have an exemption. Our focus was on stopping the people who are flouting the rules, stopping them from travelling and/or issuing them a fixed penalty notice.
On 19 July 2021 the regulation directing passengers to wear a face covering on public transport was removed. The wearing of face coverings became a condition of carriage on TfL services, but did not come with the same enforcement capability as we had under the previous nationwide regulations. We were unable to issue fines or prosecute customers for non-compliance as part of the conditions of carriage, and therefore no Fixed Penalty Notices have been issued between 19 July 2021 and 23 November 2021 when your request was received.
Since 30 November, the wearing of face masks has again become compulsory on public transport and we have recommenced our enforcement activities as before.
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some 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 Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
