Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick took the law into his own hands on London’s tube by confronting brazen fare dodgers barging their way through TfL’s (Transport for London’s) ticket barriers.
In a shocking moment, one lawbreaker appeared to threaten to whip out a knife after telling Jenrick to “f*** off”.
“Do you think it’s alright not to pay?”, asked Jenrick after the individual was caught red-handed barging through a barrier.
“Seriously, why don’t you go back and pay?”
Robert Jenrick took the law into his own hands
X / ROBERT JENRICK
The individual then snaps at Jenrick and the ex-Tory leadership contender insinuated that he made a knife threat in an off-camera moment.
In another instance, the man who was gunning for the top job in the Conservative Party last year draws the attention of security guards to another free rider.
“You’re on camera mate, you’re bang to rights”, he tells the man who found himself primed for a hefty fine.
Jenrick criticised the station’s set-up, suggesting it lent itself to passengers travelling across London’s rail network without buying a ticket.
The ex-Tory leadership contender raged at the epidemic of fare evaders on London's tubes
X / ROBERT JENRICK
“There’s eight officers, but one minute away, this gate is wide open”, he said.
Speaking to the camera, he said: “Nearly one in 25 people using London’s public transport aren’t paying for it.
“It’s annoying watching so many people break the law and get away with it - or at least most of the time.
“It’s the same with bike theft, phone theft, tool theft, shoplifting, drugs in town centres, weird Turkish barber shops, it’s all chipping away at society.
“The state needs to assert itself and go after lawbreakers.”
Jenrick tweeted the video and took a swipe at London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
Jenrick sent a free rider towards security guards
X / ROBERT JENRICK
He captioned the video with the message: "Sadiq Khan is driving a proud city into the ground.
"Lawbreaking is out of control. He's not acting. So, I did."
Passengers travelling freely and illegally on Britain’s rail network has become a regular occurrence.
Individuals barging through barriers unchallenged has become a regular sight for commuters who have paid their fare.
Another method fare evaders use is to quickly walk behind someone touching in or out at a gate.
Jenrick sent one fare dodger the way of security guards
X / ROBERT JENRICK
The penalty charge for fare evasion is currently £100, reduced to £50 if paid within 21 days.
A Freedom of Information request was lodged in December 2024 calling for data since 2010 on the number of recorded instances of individuals pushing through barriers, among other fare dodging-related figures.
These included the number of prosecutions of such individuals, the estimated loss of revenue to TfL caused by fare evasion and the cost to TfL of tackling fare evasion through enforcement.
TfL did not collate the data, arguing it would be too expensive.
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