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Bus swipe cards for teenagers to tackle thuggery
Alex Stephens, Evening Standard08.01.08
Teenagers will have to swipe new Oyster photocards on buses and trams in a clampdown on anti-social behaviour on public transport.
From this week, Transport for London will issue 11- to 18-year-olds with "Zip" cards when they apply to take advantage of free travel.
The swipe cards, which will become compulsory from 1 June, will replace previous free travel schemes which allowed teenagers to move around on public transport without "touching in" - and therefore anonymously. Zip cards will allow TfL to track users across the transport system.
The move is designed to stamp out the anti-social behaviour that has dogged public transport since Ken Livingstone introduced free travel for young people three years ago.
A report published by TfL in 2006 showed that "code red" emergency calls by bus drivers for anti-social behaviour rose by 17 per cent in the year after under-16s were granted free travel. It also revealed Metropolitan Police figures showing that "bus-related crime" rose 14 per cent between May 2005 and May 2006.
Seven of the top eight routes for anti-social behaviour were serviced by bendy buses, on which fare-dodging was also rampant.
A report by the Metropolitan Police Authority found direct links between the rise in crime and the way in which buses were becoming what they called "mobile youth clubs".
The Mayor said the Zip cards would make young people more accountable for their behaviour on public transport by making it easier to catch individuals who abused the scheme. "Free travel is a vital investment in London's future, making London accessible for thousands of families by improving young people's access to education, sport and leisure," he said.
"Young people who want to benefit from free travel on buses and trams must make sure they have a Zip card, and they should also be aware that any youngster that abuses this privilege, for example by anti-social behaviour, will have their card taken away."
Zip card applications can be made at Post Offices. Applicants must provide a photograph and proof of age. Over-16s will need their forms validated by their school, college or training provider and show proof that they live in London. Transport For London has set up a dedicated Zip card website at www.tfl.gov.uk/zip.
Reader views (34)
John T, your points are not only selfish and supercilious, but also display a total lack of common sense and intelligence. As a Londoner myself I use the bus to communte to and from college, to and from work and to and from social events. If I was to pay the adult Oyster fair I would be looking at an extra £30 expenditure a week, and as a student in full time education I cannot afford it. Being a child is not a crime and it would serve you well in life to remember the time when you were 17.
You and some of your peers (Lindsay) seem to think that all youths in London fall into the 'hoody culture', but I can fully gurantee you that this is only a small representation of teenagers as a whole. By all means remove the privilege from those who abuse it, but please don't be so asinine to say "no travel subsidies".
- Ben L, London
Brilliant idea and about time too. Anything to make travelling in London a safer experience and to help ensure passengers are held accountable for anti-social behaviour the better!
- Suzi, London
I have said this from the beginning of this nonsense free travel, that children aged 5 and over MUST have a paid fare.
Livingstone whom I wrote to three times through his web site about the children's (and yobs) misbehaviour on the buses. I have 2 replies from persons best described as idiots.
One point I raised was that under the LT Act children who did not pay fare MUST NOT occupy a seat at a disadvantage to fare paying passengers. In one of the replies Livingstone's woman Ms B stated that children are ENTITLED to sit on a seat even if adults stand!
Another gripe is the matter concerning prams. People with prams should walk with the prams. I have NO objection whatsoever to free travel for disabled people and that it IS right that a specific place is available for a wheelchair.
Two RECENT incidents are the same. A woman gets on with a pram and occupies the disabled section. Later a wheelchair user gets on in a wheelchair. The woman with the pram just sat there, so I pointed out the notice.
The drivers were not interested
NO kids free travel no, none at all except under the old system!
My grandchild who is 11 has a PAID oyster card because they use the bus, tube and DLR to get to and from school.
STOP THE FREE PASSES IMMEDIATELY. Kids going 1 and 2 stops is bloody absurd.
Ken Livingstone has brought all this on himself. He has a habit of saying "they do this in Europe and we are following on",
In Spain children pay Adult fare
- John T, London
I have three children but I think the free travel should only apply to younger children, perhaps under 11s, who are almost always accompanied by adults when travelling. Why don't we have proper designated school buses in London, as they do in other parts of the UK? Secondary school age kids could then travel free on the school buses, but not be allowed on mainstream public transport (unless they pay)- this would cut anti-social behaviour significantly and buses would be much safer for everyone. I would happily pay more tax if it meant no more yobby teenage louts when the schools kick out.
- Lindsay, London
I have two children who qualify for free travel, but why do they change forms so much, who is paying for all the wasted paper? Why are people on income support getting half price travel, if they are not working then they don't need to travel! People who are actively seeking work should be getting this.
- Mary, London
About time too, now take their phones playing rap music away, and we might get back to civilised buses.
- Bob Hawkins, Beckenham
"Seven of the top eight routes for anti-social behaviour were serviced by bendy buses, on which fare-dodging was also rampant." Get rid of these awful buses that no one wanted in the first place and bring back buses with conductors. It was a false economy getting rid of conductors, sure they have to be paid but with the amount of fare dodging on bendy buses they surely cannot pay their way.
- Nick, London
Wow, threaten to take their cards away, that'll have them shaking in their boots. Since the problem is worst on the bendy buses and no one swipes in on those, how are cards going to help? Bendy buses are becoming a frightening, no-go zone for many people. Thanks Ken!
- R M, London, UK
They should stop the free travel completely. Kids always used to be able to get where they needed to before. He has given these thugs freedom of the city and therefore easier access to their victims. Stop their travelling and you are half way to stopping gang violence.
- Charlie, London
It was Ken who created the problem in the first place. This new system won't work any better, as these children are so used to not showing tickets or paying (as drivers are too intimidated to ask for the existing passes), that only an idiot would think that they will suddenly learn to behave themselves and actually carry their passes, let alone use them.
What's going to happen when 10 youths are asked to swipe, and 8 of them don't want to? Does anyone really think that they will peacefully pay their fare or get off!
The only answer is to expect payment from all, or to give free travel to all.
Oh, and to get rid of the FREE bendy buses.
PS. Ken. Any chance of ever seeing an inspector on a bus?
- Mm, Hackney
What about getting the bus conductors back and do away with these silly Red Ken Bendy buses?
- Peteo, Islington, London
Well, this is just lip service. If fare-dodging is rampant, the honour system of swiping on just is not working. If people will not swipe anyway, how will this addition help? The logging side of this scheme will be resisted and if used can only say that individuals have got on, not got off of a bus.
The real issue is that there is a lone driver trying to make the service run on time, who can only radio in, stopping the bus and wait in their secure box for aid to arrive in the event of trouble. The safety of the public and staff needs a serious rethink.
- Ian, London
Great. More free bus tickets... In the end it will be just 2 paying customers: you and I.
- Georgie, London
Kids and 16+ were were only supposed to get free travel on buses when they used a special oyster card. The rule was 'no oyster, no free travel. These rules were never enforced and neither will be the ZIP card. Re-naming a product does not solve the problem.
We need real policing of buses with regular revenue and police checks.
- Liane, London, England
A revolutionary idea, I know, but how about getting them to actually pay for using the buses?
- Steve R, London, UK
Morons who think this is a good idea and not another extreme excuse to start tracking the movements of teenagers must be living in cloud cuckoo land. Watch 1984 you morons and see where the people that run this country are taking us.
- H, West Coast
Better late than never! The question is, why not start out with all the kids needing cards to travel rather than introduce them piecemeal? Have you ever seen a bus driver have to deal with "Animal Time" when the schools empty out...! Today I saw them swarm a bus, opening the back door trampling over each other and even knocking an old lady down. The bus driver had to turn the engine off and call for an ambulance. What did the kids do? Just swarmed the one behind!
- Dene Wood, Grays, Essex
Was it not the Red Ken who introduced free travel for these people in the first place?
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
Put all these kids in harnesses like on 'Silence of the Lambs' - with strait jackets, straps, trolleys and muzzles. Guantanamo Bay - on the buses!
- John, London
A good idea but I'm afraid these cards just be stolen, and the kids they are taken from will be threatened with violence if the report them lost.
- Tode, London UK
Brilliant idea, that'll really show the thugs we mean business. They're all so stupid they won't think of taking a card away from another child - not! The law of unintended consequences strikes again.
- David, Bedford
It must be an election year for Ken, he's doing something that might actually benefit taxpayers rather than just squandering our money on giving free travel to anyone who doesn't input into the economy in any way.
- P Myself, London
I've lost count of the number of times I've been on a bus and youths, from a particular ethnic background have got on, walked passed the driver without paying even though they should. The driver in most cases ignores them, but if challenged is instantly subjected to verbal assault.
I doubt that those who misbehave now will give 'zip' towards this scheme. The only way to stop thuggery on buses is to have police ride shotgun - all the time - on the routes where there is trouble.
- Adam, Harrow, UK
Once again Ken's grand schemes have not been properly thought through. The sooner we boot him out and he can emigrate to Cuba (or Venezuela) the better.
- Johno, London
Why should the hard working classes have to subsidise bus travel at all? The simple solution is to make the little buggars pay their way.
- Adam, E14, UK
What I have never understood is why kids have been allowed free transport on buses. I wouldn't mind them going free if they were on the way to and from school in school uniform. But I often see them getting on buses for a journey of one stop, during which time they are noisy and rowdy often playing loud music (why have mobile phone makers now made phones with speakers in them) how does this fit in with the almost daily news that kids are getting obese and don't do any exercise.
The amount of people who are getting free or reduced travel on London transport is making me feel as if I am the only one paying a proper fare.
- Gordon, London, UK
Finally some sense. There should be some sort of limit on the cards. Like before they expire and need to top up. This would be so they use the transport for school and not just to bunk and misbehave...
- Sam, London
Upstairs back of buses seem like no go areas these days. I'm also fed up of kids getting on the bus via the exit as they don't have to swipe a car.
- Sb, London
I personally didn't share Ken's wild optimism that free travel would see youngsters gravitate towards museums and cultural sights. An aunt who used to work on the buses is horrified at some of the behaviour she's seen.
What's to stop banned youngsters abusing the zip system by 'borrowing' a card, or simply sneaking onto a bendy bus?
- Brian, London
Many people have been advocating swipes for yobs for a long time...
- Martin H. Watson, Teddington
About time. Free travel should never have been anonymous travel. I hope that TfL will have no hesitation in cancelling cards belonging to trouble-makers, and arresting them when (if) they try to obtain a replacement. As for bendy buses, more ticket inspectors are needed. I've never ever seen one on the buses!
- Nigel, London
This is a sensible move, but will there be any time limits put on use? And how do the vulnerable bus drivers stop illicit users getting on board? I am attracted by Boris Johnson's restrictions on use and live CCTV cameras to call in the police.
- Patrick, London, England
Excellent. Ken in doing something right shocker.
- Squiz, Islington
OK, this may be a start, but since the problem is worst on the bendy buses, this will have little or no effect, as they can waltz through any door with little chance of consequence. From my experience bendy buses can be frightening, no-go zones. Thanks Ken, for handing another part of London over to the yobs.
- R M, London, UK
