Public Transport: Fares

The Department engages regularly with the train operating companies, bus operators and local transport authorities to understand and address fare evasion and its impact on public transport finances and overall passenger experience.

The Rail Delivery Group estimates that fare evasion and ticketless travel result in at least £350 to £400 million of lost revenue on the railway each year, reducing the funding available to support services and improve the passenger experience. Fare evasion on bus services similarly reduces the revenue available to sustain local networks.

Responsibility for enforcement sits with operators and local transport authorities, which deploy a range of measures, including enforcement officers and revenue protection staff, to deter fare evasion and protect revenue. On the railways, the train operators are required to undertake Ticketless Travel Surveys, which the Department uses to assess levels of fare evasion and the effectiveness of revenue protection activity. Enforcement officers play an important role in deterring deliberate evasion and supporting compliance.

The Department works with rail partners, and supports bus operators and local transport authorities, to deliver effective and proportionate approaches to enforcement that reflect local operating contexts, treat passengers fairly, and protect the income that underpins transport service.