Passengers evading tube fares confront government official Robert Jenrick at Stratford Station, captured on camera during an attempt to film a social media video.
Conservative Shadow Justice Secretary, Robert Jenrick, has taken matters into his own hands by directly challenging fare evaders on London's Tube. Filming himself at Stratford station in Newham, a local authority area known for deprivation, Jenrick approached individuals passing through barriers without paying and questioned their actions.
Jenrick accused London Mayor Sadiq Khan of failing to address the issue, stating that one in 25 users of the public transport system are not paying their fare. In a social media video post, he criticized Khan, saying, "Lawbreaking is out of control. He’s not acting. So, I did."
According to Jenrick, the instance of fare evasion is a symptom of wider problems with law enforcement and public order in the capital. He expressed frustration at witnessing people breaking the law with seeming impunity, describing the scene as "a perfect encapsulation of Broken Britain."
In the video, Jenrick confronted several fare dodgers, asking if they thought "it is alright not to pay" and urging them to "go back and pay like everybody else." He was met with resistance, with some individuals verbally abusive or hostile towards him. One man shouted to "f*** off," while another warned Jenrick to "move."
Jenrick claimed that there were enforcement officers nearby but that people were still passing through open barriers without paying. He escorted one fare evader to a group of British Transport Police officers for questioning.
Reflecting on the issue, Jenrick stated that fare evasion is just one of many problems plaguing the city, including bike theft, phone theft, tool theft, shoplifting, and drugs in town centers. He believes that the state needs to take a stronger stance against lawbreakers and reassert itself to maintain civil order.
In response, a spokesperson for the British Transport Police commented, "Ticket fraud is not a victimless crime - the cost is passed down to the honest fare-paying members of the travelling public." The police force pledged to work closely with the railway industry to tackle fare evasion and anti-social behavior.
Transport for London (TfL) announced in April a new strategy to combat fare evasion, involving an expansion of their team of uniformed officers to deal with fare evasion and other anti-social behavior across the network. According to YouGov, 79% of passengers have personally witnessed fare dodging, and fare evasion costs TfL £130 million annually.
- Robert Jenrick, confronting the prevalence of fare evasion in London, also raised concerns about wider issues in the city's law enforcement and public order, likening the scene to "Broken Britain."
- In addition to fare evasion, Jenrick highlighted various other problems in London such as bike theft, phone theft, tool theft, shoplifting, and drugs in town centers, calling for a stronger stance against lawbreakers to maintain civil order.
