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TfL collects £32m in Oyster card penalty fares
Jack Lefley, Evening Standard29 May 2008
Transport bosses have pocketed £32million in penalty fares from passengers using Oyster cards who forget to "tap out" at stations.
City Hall chiefs last year banked more than £33million in "uncompleted" Oyster card journey fares on the Tube and DLR, but only issued £1 million in refunds. The rest has remained in Transport for London's coffers.
The figures, released under the Freedom of Information Act, prompted watchdogs to call for technology to prevent overcharging innocent commuters. More than 8.3million journeys between November 2005 and December 2007 triggered maximum penalties worth £33million. TfL says it knows of just £803,000 paid in refunds and estimates another £200,000 was returned. It means passengers are failing to check fare details and are oblivious to when the £4 over-charge occurs if they fail to tap out.
A spokesman for TfL said if passengers had validated their cards, they would have paid around £14million in fares - about £2.18 per journey - meaning the "true" profit was £18million.
He added that TfL had "no plans" to find ways to remind passengers to tap out or collect money owed, but confirmed it would refund those who complained. He said: "Everybody should now know how the Oyster pay-asyougo system works."
Reader views (2)
I've gone back to the station when I've forgotten to tap out, and they said there's nothing they can do! So how exactly do you get these refunds?
- Ks, London UK, 07/04/2009 15:03
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well it just another means of robbing you.
I tapped in this morning and the card did'nt registar
revenue protects offices comes a long while im on the train you don't have a valed ticket ?" I tapped in at west hampstead" thats £50 fine . Isay please take the fare off my card . hes i can't do that ??? please pay the fine .what ever happened to innocent til proven???
- Robert Harper, st albans, 18/03/2009 21:25
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