FactCheck: are yobs getting a free ride?
Updated on 12 February 2008
Boris Johnson says kids that behave anti-socially on buses are still getting free rides on London's transport system - is he right?
The claim
"So far 4,000 kids are meant to have had [free bus travel in London] taken away and have not. Only about 300 in fact have been deprived of it."
Boris Johnson, Andrew Marr Show, BBC One, 10 February 2008
The background
London's buses carry 6.3 million passengers a day, usually in less squished and more scenic surroundings than the tube. But according to a recent report by the London Assembly, passengers report feeling less safe than on other methods of transport.
Conservative mayoral candidate Boris Johnson went on the attack at the weekend, saying that mayor Ken Livingstone wasn't doing enough to address "instability, rowdiness, violence often" on the buses.
There are, he claimed "loads of people who are kicking up and frankly intimidating other passengers".
Under Mayor Boris, Oyster cards _ which give young people free travel on buses - would be taken away from miscreants. If the ruffians wanted to get them back, they would have to do some kind of community service.
His confiscation-suggestion was picked up by the likes of the BBC online and the news agency Reuters, but the current mayor, Ken Livingstone, rubbished the proposal, pointing out that travel cards are already confiscated for anti-social behaviour on buses.
"Anyone cautioned by the police or convicted of a criminal offence loses their card permanently, which is a very effective deterrent, whereas Boris Johnson's proposal would lessen this punishment," a spokesperson for his campaign told Reuters.
According to Boris, however, 4,000 young people were meant to have lost their free bus travel, but only 300 have. So what did he mean - and was he suggesting anything new?
The analysis
Since September 2005, all 11- to 15-year-olds in London have been able to get free travel on buses and trams. In September 2006, under-18s in full-time education were also able to join the free ride.
This may be withdrawn from those who violate a Transport For London behaviour code, which bans nasties like bullying or threatening others, using offensive language, smoking or playing music out loud, or commit a crime on a vehicle.
So are the free travel passes being withdrawn? Boris's claim - that they're not - is based on answers given in Mayoral Question Time in July 2007.
Since September 2005, 3,495 passes have been taken away from 11-15s, and a further 566 from 16-18s. However, only 294 11-15 passes and 100 16-18 passes were permanently withdrawn.
According to TFL's latest figures, as of January 29 2008, a total of 6,224 11-15 cards and 2,482 16+ cards have been taken away temporarily, and 643 11-15 cards and 314 16+ cards are confiscated for good.
This is a pretty big jump since the figures Boris quoted, suggesting the rate of cards being removed has increased in recent months.
The most recent figures show bus crime down by 11 per cent in the six months from April 2007, and crime involving under-16s down by 19 per cent in the same period.
But why aren't they all being removed permanently? TFL operates a sliding series of penalties, with those who commit a crime getting their pass taken away for good (although they can appeal - and some have done so succesfully).
At the other end of the scale, swearing, playing music out loud or not validating a card are punishable by just a six-month removal. Drinking alcohol, smoking, or offensive or threatening behaviour can lead to a one-year ban.
Defacing an Oyster card, or letting someone else use your card, are punished with a two-year suspension.
Although you might argue with the penalties set - for example, an annoyed passenger might be more concerned about immediate annoyances such as loud music than a defaced card - it is equally unfair to conclude that all cards confiscated should been done so permanently.
How much of a problem are the rowdy youths, anyway? Crime on buses did increase between 2005 and 2007. As did bus ridership, particularly by young people following the introduction of free travel for under-16s.
But the most recent figures show bus crime down by 11 per cent in the six months from April 2007, and crime involving under-16s down by 19 per cent in the same period. TFL said today that "anti-social behaviour is not an issue peculiar to London buses", nor is it "something which has arisen out of the free travel concessions".
The verdict
Boris has got his figures right, but he uses them to suggest that cards aren't being withdrawn when they should be.
This is more a matter of opinion - is it really desirable to deprive a 12-year-old who swears on a bus of six possible years of free travel? - than evidence that the current system isn't working.
In fact, the current system is closer to Boris's suggestion that people should be able to "earn" cards back after a period of good behaviour than his claim suggests.
FactCheck rating: 3.0
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The lower end of the scale indicates that the claim in question largerly checks out, while the upper end of the scale suggests misrepresentation, exaggeration, a massaging of statistics and/or language.
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The sources
Boris gets serious, The Andrew Marr Show, 10 February 2008
Oyster cards take centre stage in London election, 10 February 2008
Johnson plea on rowdy travellers, 11 February 2006
Transport for London: Child and student discounts
Mayoral Question time, 18 July 2007, questions 1,833-1,835
London Assembly Transport Committee, Crime and disorder on London's buses, January 2008
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