Request ID: FOI-4037-2324 Date published: 22 February 2024
You asked
Dear FOIA Officer,
I am an economist with a particular interest in urban public transport fare structures. I have come across TfL’s ‘Our equality objectives November 2021’ document and note one of those objectives is described in this way:
“Affordability
Ensure we offer value for money for all Londoners and that our fare structure and concessions are fair, clear and well communicated
• Continue to review fare structures and concessions in the context of our funding challenges to find the best way to keep them affordable and fair while helping those who need it most. Ensure robust, evidence-led EQIAs are carried out for any future proposals. Work with stakeholders to identify and mitigate against any equality impacts.”
These ideas are developed to some extent in the January 2024 publication, Our customer inclusion strategy, Equity in Motion, and the Mayor’s Transport Strategy.
I have some request to make under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for information and documents that relate to this important work. Please:
1. confirm whether or not TfL has assessed, or analysed, the impact of maintaining its zone-based tube and overground fare structure by reference to the demographics of those who live in different far zones, in particular by reference to race (whether for the purposes of section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 or otherwise);
and if there is such an assessment or analysis, please provide:
2. any reports documenting it (if there are several, please provide the latest three reports);
3. any internal reports discussing whether maintaining zone-based fares is justified notwithstanding any differential impact identified.
If the scope of this request is too broad and an exemption to FOIA is triggered, given zone-based fares were introduced some years ago, please confine it to the last five years.
Thank you in advance for your help.
We answered
TfL Ref: 4037-2324
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 6 February 2024 asking for information about our fare structure plans.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. You specifically asked: Please:
confirm whether or not TfL has assessed, or analysed, the impact of maintaining its zone-based tube and overground fare structure by reference to the demographics of those who live in different far zones, in particular by reference to race (whether for the purposes of section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 or otherwise);
and if there is such an assessment or analysis, please provide:
any reports documenting it (if there are several, please provide the latest three reports);
any internal reports discussing whether maintaining zone-based fares is justified notwithstanding any differential impact identified.
If the scope of this request is too broad and an exemption to FOIA is triggered, given zone-based fares were introduced some years ago, please confine it to the last five years.
We do not hold the information you have requested as there are no plans to change London’s zonal fares structure, which is shared between us and National Rail services. Any decision to revisit this would need to be made jointly with the Rail Delivery Group and the Department for Transport. As a result no work has been done to explore possible changes London’s fares structure, including any assessment or analysis relating to the demographics, particularly of race. Any change to TfL’s fares is done through a Mayoral Direction and requires an Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) to be completed as part of that process. Should the Mayor instruct TfL to review London’s fares structure in the future then the impact on different groups, including race, would be considered in that EqIA.
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.
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
