Request ID: FOI-3459-2223 Date published: 18 April 2023
You asked
I would like to request the following information
How many single justice procedure notices (intent to prosecute) have been sent by TFL in the last 12 months for Byelaw 4 - Alcohol/ open containers?
How many were dealt with by a magistrate?
How many went to court?
How many resulted in a criminal conviction?
Please could you provide a breakdown by transport mode (ie LU, LO, DLR, Bus, Elizabeth Line & Tram).
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-3459-2223
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 21st March 2023 asking for information about convictions for drinking alcohol on TfL services.
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.
Drinking alcohol or carrying an open container of alcohol is a breach of TfL’s conditions of carriage and our byelaws. The vast majority of incidents of people consuming alcohol on the network are handled by asking the customer to leave the network or to comply by disposing of the open container of alcohol before they enter our network. The majority of people comply with instructions from operational staff, TfL enforcement officers or policing partners. These interactions with customers are not routinely recorded.
Customers can be prosecuted for byelaw breaches which cover drinking and/or carrying open containers of alcohol. Fines are a matter for the courts to decide, with the level of fine imposed up to a maximum of £1,000.
Your questions are answered in turn below:
Question 1) How many single justice procedure notices (intent to prosecute) have been sent by TFL in the last 12 months for Byelaw 4 - Alcohol/ open containers?
Answer: 24 in total (11 cases on the London Overground and 13 on the London Underground).
Question 2) How many were dealt with by a magistrate?
Answer: 17.
Question 3) How many went to court?
Answer: All of them (24) - although note that 7 cases are still waiting to be heard.
Question 4) How many resulted in a criminal conviction?
Answer: 17 to date.
Note that more general information about prosecutions and single justice procedure notices can be found on our website here:
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
