Request ID: FOI-2194-2324 Date published: 10 October 2023
You asked
Yet another blatant fare evading criminal witnessed on my journey tonight. EVERY journey I arrive at Enfield Town I witness someone do this. As I have advised previously you just need to review my oyster journeys and then check the CCTV and you'll see who these people are. Can you confirm :
1) You are doing this
2) You will review the CCTV for today to identify the individual ( )
3) What action you will be taking to apprehend this person
4) How many fare evaders you have caught at Enfield Town from reviewing CCTV
5) How many of these have been fined
6) How many of these have paid the fine
7) Whether any have received a criminal record as a result
8) How many of the incidences I have reported were also reported by the ticket gate staff
9) Whether the incident today was reported by your staff who were present at the gate
10) What your tolerance policy is for acts of crime on your network
11) Whether there is any benefit in me reporting these incidents
We answered
TfL Ref: 2194-2324
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 20 September 2023 asking for information about fare evasion at Enfield Town station.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm we hold some of the information you have requested. You asked:
Yet another blatant fare evading criminal witnessed on my journey tonight. EVERY journey I arrive at Enfield Town I witness someone do this. As I have advised previously you just need to review my oyster journeys and then check the CCTV and you'll see who these people are. Can you confirm :
1) You are doing this 2) You will review the CCTV for today to identify the individual (<redacted>) 3) What action you will be taking to apprehend this person 4) How many fare evaders you have caught at Enfield Town from reviewing CCTV 5) How many of these have been fined 6) How many of these have paid the fine 7) Whether any have received a criminal record as a result 8) How many of the incidences I have reported were also reported by the ticket gate staff 9) Whether the incident today was reported by your staff who were present at the gate 10) What your tolerance policy is for acts of crime on your network 11) Whether there is any benefit in me reporting these incidents
Please be aware that, under the FOI Act, we do not have to answer a request if it would require the creation of new information or the provision of a judgement, explanation, advice or opinion that was not already recorded at the time of the request. On this basis, only questions 4-7 of your request are requests for recorded information falling under the FOI Act 2000. I understand that a separate response has already been sent to you on 28 September 2023 by our contact centre. Our reply under FOI is therefore as follows:
The information you have asked for is exempt from disclosure under section 31 of the Freedom of Information Act, which can apply where release of information would be likely to prejudice the prevention of crime, or to prejudice the apprehension or prosecution of offenders. This is because the release of this information (or similar information in relation to other areas) would reveal locations where enforcement activity is more or less likely to be implemented and may therefore encourage people to attempt fare evasion at particular locations. Whilst we make no suggestion that you would use this information for anything other than your own interest, the disclosure of information under FOI is regarded as a disclosure to the public at large.
The use of this exemption is subject to an assessment of the ‘public interest test’ to determine whether the greater public interest rests in the exemption applying and the information being withheld, or in releasing it in any event. We recognise the need for openness and transparency by public authorities and the fact that you have requested the information is in itself an argument for release. However, in this instance we feel that balance of public interest lies in favour of withholding the information to help protect our fare revenue.
We take fare evasion extremely seriously and our team of 450 revenue inspectors operate across our network day and night, using new technology and intelligence to identify anyone travelling without the correct ticket or payment for the journey they are making. We penalise and prosecute thousands of fare evaders every year, and we push for the toughest penalties for anyone caught fare evading on our services. Fare evasion takes away vital revenue for us to reinvest in our transport network to keep London moving.
We have a multi-pronged strategy in place to reduce the risk of fare evasion and have set a target to bring the level of fare evasion below 1.5%. Our strategy includes elements of ticketing technology and gateline information to deter and detect fare evaders. Our station staff provide insight and information about fare evaders and persistent offenders to our enforcement and investigations teams to take action. We deploy enforcement teams to locations where people push through gates and create an intimidating atmosphere for gateline staff and customers. Efforts to tackle fare evasion have been helped by changes to the way we manage our stations, with more staff visible in and around stations including on gate lines. Our advice to our staff is not to challenge fare evaders if there is a risk of work-related violence, but to report and that information is acted on by Police and our enforcement teams.
Fare evasion is a criminal offence that could lead to a fine of up to £1,000 and a criminal record. Last year there were over 18,000 offences reported by our revenue teams for possible prosecution.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely
Sara Thomas FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
