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Transport for London<\/p>\nIt includes \u00a316k for parking charges paid to borough councils and \u00a39k for fines paid to their own employer, report Kumail Jaffer, Local Democracy Reporter, and Luke Donnelly<\/p>\n
Transport for London<\/p>\n
Transport for London (TfL) staff have racked up over \u00a330,000 in parking fines and road charges in the last year alone.<\/p>\n
This includes more than \u00a316,000 for 143 parking fines directly paid to 20 different local authorities across the capital, and \u00a39,460 for penalty charge notices (PCNs) to TfL itself.<\/p>\n
In addition, \u00a36,631 was collected by private firms such as PayMyParking and Euro Car Parks, with all transactions either listed under TfL\u2019s chief operating officer or chief customer and strategy officer\u2019s department.<\/p>\n
The information was disclosed after a Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request to the network asking for all transactions under \u00a3250 made by staff using company cards between 1st April 2025 and 31st March 2026.<\/p>\n
As a local government body operating under the Greater London Authority (GLA), TfL routinely publishes details for all external payments and individual corporate expenditure transactions over \u00a3250 but lower level spending is not routinely made public.<\/p>\n
TfL officials said that the fines often originate from staffers having to park to the \u201cclosest access point\u201d to attend an incident and then paying the fine using a TfL credit card. They said staff members will reimburse TfL for the fine \u201cwhen appropriate\u201d.<\/p>\n
The figures emerged just months after the network hiked tube fares by an average of 5.8%. In November, bus and tram fares will also increase by 10p to \u00a31.85 for a single journey.<\/p>\n
The revelations have prompted scathing remarks from senior Conservative politicians, who accused TfL of \u201csquandering\u201d taxpayer cash.<\/p>\n
Shadow minister for London Gareth Bacon, who is also a former London Assembly member, told the LDRS: \u201cAs has been the case so often in the past, under Sadiq Khan\u2019s atrocious leadership TfL has wasted no opportunity to fleece Londoners \u2013 especially drivers \u2013 whilst pleading poverty.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut yet again, evidence is uncovered of TfL squandering Londoners\u2019 money.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is simply not good enough. I would say the mayor should get a grip, but on the basis that this has been going on for the whole of his decade in office it\u2019s obvious I would be wasting my breath.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tory London Assembly member Neil Garratt said that TfL \u201chas some serious explaining to do\u201d and added: \u201c\u00a330,000 on parking fines, all paid for with one man\u2019s credit card, is an appalling statistic for TfL \u2013 representing a wasteful spend of nearly \u00a3600 a week. Whilst commuters suffer inflation-busting fare rises, making London the most expensive urban transport network in the world, the news of this spending is appalling.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe public will rightly be asking why an organisation this is so tight for cash feels it can flex the company card in this way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jonathan Eida, public affairs manager at the TaxPayers\u2019 Alliance, said: \u201cTfL cannot lecture passengers about paying their way while its own spending records raise serious questions about basic financial discipline.<\/p>\n
\u201cTransport bosses must explain every odd transaction, recover any inappropriate costs and prove they are treating farepayer and taxpayer money with respect.\u201d<\/p>\n
A TfL spokesperson told the LDRS: \u201cFor urgent operational reasons, vehicles sometimes have to be parked at the closest access point to the incident location. In order to ensure any fines are paid quickly, when the fine relates to an operational issue, staff will sometimes pay using a TfL credit card.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere appropriate, the fine will then be reimbursed by the staff member to TfL. In addition, sometimes credit cards are used to allow testing of TfL\u2019s payment platforms before updates (such as Oyster top ups, road user charges, Travelcard purchases).<\/p>\n
\u201cThis process is regularly reviewed to make sure the use of TfL credit cards is fully in line with our wider policies and procedures. This includes checking that any payments made for operational reasons, such as parking fines, are properly authorised, recorded and reimbursed.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is understood that there are 80 credit cards currently assigned to staff members, but only 60 have been active in recent months.<\/p>\n
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