• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 05 December 2007

How much money does that equate to?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 05 December 2007

I am not talking about penalty fares though. I am talking about the number of people who are recommended for prosecution. Only 20% of those actually get to court in the end. Is there a problem with the way the evidence is being gathered?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 05 December 2007

You seem to be suggesting that 80% of the people who are recommended for prosecution are difficult to track down, do not give enough details. That sounds incredible.

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 05 December 2007

What is the average amount of fare evaded?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 05 December 2007

That is a slightly higher irregularity rate than your average?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 05 December 2007

Is that the figure which is used for calculating the overall number?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 05 December 2007

Over two hours of checking tickets on the number 25 at Stratford, a number of people were found not to have paid their fare. What do you think that number would be?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 05 December 2007

It would be useful to have a briefing on this at some point, but can I just ask about prosecution rates, because we put a question to the Mayor at the last Question Time about the number of people referred for prosecution, as to the number of people who actually made it there. Now, the conviction rate is quite good against the number of people who go to court. In fact it is very good, but only 20% of people recommended for prosecution actually make it into court. Why is that?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 05 December 2007

I am referring to the 95% guarantee following the demise of Metronet, because up to that point 95% of the debts were guaranteed by the public, which was the price that was paid to get the private sector involved in the first place. If that guarantee is not in place, then it ensures that Transport for London are the only people who bid, but it does not necessarily make it any cheaper, because it also ensures that you pick up all the debt.

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 05 December 2007

Why did you remove the 95% debt guarantee? Surely that would mean that no one else would want to bid for it? It would effectively leave TfL as the only bidder.