§ The Earl of Clancartyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the levying of the London Underground £10 penalty fare on an individual is a penalty incurred on account of that individual's intent to defraud. [HL2399]
15WA
§ Lord WhittyNo. If a person fails to produce a ticket when requested to do so, he/she is liable to pay the penalty, regardless of whether or not there was an intention to defraud London Underground Limited. There is an exemption if there were no facilities for sale of a ticket at the station where the passenger commenced his journey on the train service. The liability to pay the £10 penalty fare on London Underground train services and in compulsory ticket areas arises under the London Regional Transport (Penalty Fares) Act 1992.
Action may be taken against a person without a ticket under the regulations of the Railways Act 1889 or the Underground by-laws, where intent would be relevant, but a person who has paid the prescribed penalty fare may not be prosecuted under those provisions as well.
§ The Earl of Clancartyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What proportion of people paying London Underground penalty fares had an intent to defraud. [HL2402]
§ Lord WhittyFigures are not compiled on this basis. The liability to pay a penalty fare arises regardless of any intention to defraud.
§ The Earl of Clancartyasked Her Majesty's Government:
How much revenue per annum has been obtained by London Underground directly from the levying of penalty fares from their introduction in 1994–95 up to the present. [HL2400]
§ Lord WhittyThe sums collected by London Underground are as follows:
- 1994–95: £1.1 million
- 1995–96: £1.0 million
- 1996–97: £1.5 million
- 1997–98: £2.4 million
- 1998–99: £3.3 million.
§ The Earl of Clancartyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What proportion of representations from members of the public received by the London Regional Passengers Committee relate to penalty fares. [HL2401]
§ Lord WhittyThe London Regional Passengers Committee received a total of 2,009 representations from 1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999. Forty-one point four per cent. related to penalty fares on London Transport, Docklands Light Railway and national railways within the area which is served by the committee in its role as a rail users' consultative committee.