Transport for London (TfL) has reported a significant increase in penalty fares issued as part of a crackdown on fare dodging across the capital's public transport network. In the year to the end of March, 69,001 penalty fares were handed out, a 9% rise compared to the previous 12 months.
Each penalty fare is set at £100, reduced to £50 if paid within 21 days. Additionally, 21,533 cases led to reports for possible prosecution, marking a 19% year-on-year increase.
TfL checked 6.9 million contactless payment cards over the period, a 51% increase. The transport body secured 14,406 convictions for fare evasion in 2025/26, 955 more than the previous year.
In one notable case, a passenger was convicted after using a bank card previously banned by TfL due to prior breaches. They admitted to 181 offences and were ordered to pay £2,131.
According to TfL, 3.5% of passengers across its network evade fares, a rate described as "significantly lower than many cities globally." The goal is to reduce this figure to 1.5% by 2030/31.
Enforcement efforts intensified
Siwan Hayward, TfL's director of security, policing and enforcement, stated: "The overwhelming majority of customers pay the correct fare, and it’s unfair that a minority avoid paying. That’s why we are strengthening our capability to detect and deter fare evasion, as shown by the significant increases in enforcement activity across our network – from more customer ticket checks to more officers on the ground and higher levels of revenue recovered."
Hayward emphasized that fare evasion is not a victimless crime, robbing Londoners of vital investment in a safe, frequent and reliable transport network. She added: "We are committed to ensuring that those who evade fares face the consequences of their actions, and that the cost of fare evasion is paid by the evaders, not our fare-paying customers."
