BUS TICKET INSPECTORS CATCH ONE FARE DODGER EACH A DAY - FEATHERSTONE

12.01.00am GMT Tue 2nd Nov 2004

BUS TICKET INSPECTORS CATCH ONE FARE DODGER EACH A DAY - FEATHERSTONE

New figures revealed today by Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson, Lynne Featherstone, reveals that bus ticket inspectors have caught on average just one fare dodger each per day since Ken Livingstone became Mayor.

Figures obtained from Mayoral Questions, showed that between April 2000 and September 2004, 246,000 passengers were caught without having paid the appropriate fare - an average of 150 a day. The answers also revealed that in that period, the number of ticket inspectors have ranged from 135 to 200, giving an average fare dodger catch rate per inspector of around one per day.

Lynne Featherstone said:-

"With the increasing numbers of bendy buses coming on to London's roads, it is vital that the Mayor and Transport for London urgently target and catch persistent fare dodgers so that the message gets hammered home that this is a criminal offence.

"Fare dodgers are no better than shoplifters and it is time that the Mayor and Transport for London came down hard on people who try to avoid paying for a ticket.

"Millions of pounds is lost each year to people who are breaking the law. The failure to tackle fare-dodging hits the pockets of law-abiding commuters who pay extra fare increases to make up for those who get something for nothing. Cracking down on fare evasion could crack down on fare rises.

"The Mayor must look at dramatically increasing the penalty charge to deter fare dodgers from getting away scot-free. It is time that fare dodgers received punishment that fitted the crime."

ENDS

Notes to editor

The figures are taken from Mayoral answers from Mayor's Questions Time 20th October 2004 and are contained below.

Workings

· The period 1st April 2000 - 30th September 2004 has 1642 days

· 246,000 people were caught without having paid the appropriate fare

· Number of people caught per day = 246,000/1642= 150 per day

· Number of Revenue Protection Inspectors 135 to 200

· Maximum number of people caught by Revenue Protection Inspectors = 150/135=1.1people per day

· Minimum number of people caught by Revenue Protection Inspectors = 150/200= 0.75 people per day

Fare Dodging

Question No: 1296 / 2004

Lynne Featherstone

Since you took over responsibility for bus and Tube services in London can you tell the number of people that have been caught fare dodging on a/ buses and B/ the Tube, how many people were issued with Penalty Fares for a/buses and B/Tubes and how many were prosecuted for a/bus fare evasion and B/Tube fare evasion?

Since April 2000, 246,000 passengers have been caught without having paid the appropriate fare. Of these, 160,000 paid a penalty fare, 50,000 were reported but their case was either closed or not pursued (because of name/address verification issues, closed with issue of caution etc), and 36,000 were taken forward for prosecution.

Since I took over the tube in July 2003 up until September 2004, 33,639 Penalty Fares were issued resulting in 6,950 prosecutions.

Ticket Inspectors

Question No: 1297 / 2004

Lynne Featherstone

How many; a) plain clothes enforcement officers and b) ticket inspectors have there been on the a/ bus and b/tube networks for the past 4 years? How many will there be in the financial year 2005/06?

From April 2000 to March 2003 the number of Revenue Protection Inspectors (RPIs) on the bus network ranged from between 135 and 159. RPI numbers increased in 2003/04 to 192 and currently stand at 200, with a further increase of approximately 50 RPIs planned for 2005/06.

RPIs work both in uniform and in plain clothes as part of their normal ticket checking duties. There is also a section of 16 Plain Clothes Officials who work continually out of uniform in order to blend in as bus passengers.

LU do not have plain-clothes enforcement officers (although the revenue control inspectors may operate out of uniform on occasion). The number of RCIs is 237 and there are no current plans to change the establishment.