"BUS FARE DODGERS COST TfL £1M A WEEK" -POPE

3.10.41pm GMT Mon 26th Feb 2007

New Research carried out by Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesman on the London Assembly, Geoff Pope, has revealed that bus fare evasion has risen by 60% in the last year, costing TfL £1m a week in lost revenue.

Fare evasion on bendy buses has risen from 7.8% to 9.3% in the last year and from 2.3% to 3.18% on conventional buses (including single and double-deck buses).

Commenting on the new figures, Geoff Pope said:

"A near 60% increase in fare-dodging on London's buses is a disgrace. Small wonder that Londoners have labeled the bendy bus 'the free bus'. Law-abiding passengers are paying the price in sky-high fares - higher than any other European capital.

'We need revenue inspectors on bendy buses as part of its crew. The level of fare evasion is now so high that the cost of extra staff would pay for itself. Otherwise, let's sell the wretched things and go back to accessible double-deckers." ENDS

Notes to the Editors

1. Fare evasion rates

Question number 0076/2007

Meeting date 30/01/2007

Question by Geoff Pope

Will you list the latest fare evasion rates for (i) articulated and (ii) non-articulated buses in London?

Answer by Ken Livingstone (2nd Term)

TfL produce quarterly fare evasion surveys, in which passengers are interviewed by surveyors who record information on the types of tickets used (and how long they would be valid for) and whether they were valid for the journeys being made. The fare evasion surveys show a rolling 12-month fare evasion rate on articulated buses of 9.3%, and on non-articulated buses (including both single and double deck buses) of 3.18%.

2. Lost TfL revenue

Question number 0075/2007

Meeting date 30/01/2007

Question by Geoff Pope

Will you detail the amount of TfL revenue lost from fare evasion on articulated buses in 2006?

Answer by Ken Livingstone (2nd Term)

Revenue loss in 2006 on articulated buses was around £8 million

3. Revenue Loss on Buses (May 2006)

Question number 0891/2006

Meeting date 17/05/2006

Question by Geoff Pope

What is the current estimated revenue loss on articulated buses from fare evasion compared with other buses operated in Greater London?

Answer by Ken Livingstone (2nd Term)

Vehicle type Estimated Revenue Loss

Articulated: £1.9M

Conventional: £28M

Total: £29.9M

4. If a 2.3% fare evasion rate on conventional buses yielded £28m in lost revenue, then a 3.18% rate of evasion yields £38.7m. Total fare evasion rate for 06/07 (1 April till 31 January 2006) is therefore £46.7m (£38.7m + £8m). This is a 57% rise from fare evasion rates in 05/06 (£29.9m).

5. The period covered (1 April 06 to 31 January 07) is 306 days. Dividing £46.7m of lost revenue over that period by the number of days in that period produces £153,000 of lost revenue a day or just over £1m of lost revenue a week.