Barking to Gatwick avoiding zone 1

[Watershed]

In the TV case, they didn’t explain in detail. The inference was the passenger was doing a Cross London journey on the Underground with a Zone 2-3 Season Travelcard on Oyster. He used this to get through the barriers at both ends and intentionally did an additional validation which stopped him being charged for travelling via Zone 1. The unusual behaviour flagged up with LU Revenue, they then sent a team to wait for the guy who wasn't hard to find as he did the journey regularly and wore bright red headphones.

I still don't think they would have had an actual legal case against him, but I think that there is certainly a bit of a difference between holding a Zones 2-3 Travelcard and intending to pay nothing extra for travel through Zone 1, and making a PAYG journey where TfL decide what to charge.

 

[RJ]

I still don't think they would have had an actual legal case against him, but I think that there is certainly a bit of a difference between holding a Zones 2-3 Travelcard and intending to pay nothing extra for travel through Zone 1, and making a PAYG journey where TfL decide what to charge.

I can't remember what the outcome was but I doubt they went to all that effort and expense just to have a friendly chat!

 

[Watershed]

I can't remember what the outcome was but I doubt they went to all that effort and expense just to have a friendly chat!

No doubt about that, but it wouldn't be the first time that revenue protection staff took umbrage to something that's actually lawful.

 

[Surreytraveller]

In the TV case, they didn’t explain in detail. The inference was the passenger was doing a journey via Zone 1 on the Underground with a Zone 2-3 Season Travelcard on Oyster. He used this to get through the barriers at both ends and intentionally did an additional validation which stopped him being charged for travelling via Zone 1. The unusual behaviour flagged up with LU Revenue, they then sent a team to wait for the guy who wasn't hard to find as he did the journey regularly and wore bright red headphones.

How would they know he's going via Zone 1?
The only time someone with a Travelcard season could be in trouble for something, is if they're going outside the Zones on their Travelcard and not tapping or not having any PAYG credit on the Oystercard.
Even if they're going via Zone 1 with a 2&3 Travelcard, it's still a perfectly valid thing to do as long as you're tapped in. What you're being charged is TfL's problem. Maybe this chap on the programme you watched had done something else wrong, such as missing a tap somewhere or something?

 

[redreni]

Flixbus runs direct from Stratford City Bus Stn (outside Westfield) to Gatwick Airport.

Travel by coach from London to London Gatwick Airport on Sun, 18 Jan

C2C are running direct from Barking to Stratford on that day.

Pay attention to Flixbus's luggage policy if you take that option, though!

 

[MikeWh]

The timings would be proof of fraud since the timings of the taps would not be possible without passing through Zone 1. TfL could even write some code to not provide the discount if there is too short a time between taps for the discounted route to have been taken.

This code would need to be incredibly complicated, take input from the actual running logs for all trains, noting that journeys will take significantly longer at some times of day. It definitely wouldn't work live (at the point of touch out) which is what is needed for Oyster cards, so how would they deal with an unregistered topped up with cash Oyster card?

Does touching on a pink reader mean you're claiming not to have gone via zone 1?

Not always. Check Forest Hill to Farringdon using my fare finder as it shows the zones covered.

Quite lot of people must tap pink readers if they are passing one without realising what it is for or whether it needs to be tapped. It would be difficult to prove that this is fraudulent I would have thought.

TfL actively encourage you to touch pink readers if you encounter them.

If you pass a pink card reader when changing from one train to another, and you are using
your Oyster card to pay as you go for any part of your journey, but not starting or finishing your
journey at the station concerned, you must touch your card on the pink card reader to ensure
you pay the appropriate pay as you go fare for the route you are taking.

In this journey being discussed in this thread you are changing between Underground and Elizabeth line at Whitechapel and could well pass a pink reader on the way.

In the TV case, they didn’t explain in detail. The inference was the passenger was doing a journey via Zone 1 on the Underground with a Zone 2-3 Season Travelcard on Oyster. He used this to get through the barriers at both ends and intentionally did an additional validation which stopped him being charged for travelling via Zone 1. The unusual behaviour flagged up with LU Revenue, they then sent a team to wait for the guy who wasn't hard to find as he did the journey regularly and wore bright red headphones.

Even if they're going via Zone 1 with a 2&3 Travelcard, it's still a perfectly valid thing to do as long as you're tapped in. What you're being charged is TfL's problem. Maybe this chap on the programme you watched had done something else wrong, such as missing a tap somewhere or something?

If I recall correctly, they were touching in and back out again at one end, and the other end was an incomplete journey.

 

[RJ]

If I recall correctly, they were touching in and back out again at one end, and the other end was an incomplete journey.

Yes, the additional validation referred to was touching out immediately after touching in at the origin station. The intent behind it was to avoid being charged for Zone 1, as they understood that the Travelcard would open the barriers at any Zone 2 station.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Dec 2025 ==

How would they know he's going via Zone 1?
The only time someone with a Travelcard season could be in trouble for something, is if they're going outside the Zones on their Travelcard and not tapping or not having any PAYG credit on the Oystercard.
Even if they're going via Zone 1 with a 2&3 Travelcard, it's still a perfectly valid thing to do as long as you're tapped in. What you're being charged is TfL's problem. Maybe this chap on the programme you watched had done something else wrong, such as missing a tap somewhere or something?

It would have repeatedly flagged up as an erratic use of the card as he was frequently touching in then out straight away at one end, then touching out at the other. The concept of passing through Zone 1 with a 2-3 Travelcard isn't new to revenue protection as people would have been doing it since the dawn of time with paper tickets, but this passenger worked out how to do the same on Oyster. It wouldn't have taken much to work out why he was doing it given the journey was something like Homerton or Highbury to Latimer Road.

The advent of smartcards and e-ticketing makes it easier for fraud departments to spy on people who are up to no good.

 

[Connacht]

Thanks to everybody.

There is a change of plans.

Arriving on Fri 16-Jan into Luton airport from Ireland. Now departing on Sun 18-Jan from STN airport, flight departs at 13:15.

No accomm booked yet.

I have a £34 voucher for Accor hotels, that's why I was considering the Ibis in Barking.

I welcome any advice on where to stay:

(1) Ibis London Stratford - this seems close to the station, which offers a lot of connections, and there is STN Express train to the airport. Price is from £159 saver (no refunds) / £187 flexible

(2) Ibis London Barking, Highbridge road, this is a 15 min walk from Barking station £98 / £115 flexible


On Sat I may go with a pal to the Charlton Athletic ground, where he would attend a match, while I look around, take a few trains, maybe visit a pub, etc.


Is Stratford worth £61 more over two nights? The hotel is closer to the station, and the station has more connections.

I am checking how to get from the Ibis in Barking to STN airport.

I am grateful for any comments.



PS One reason I like Barking is that I wish to visit two pubs at Gospel Oak and Crouch Hill, both on an OG line that goes through Barking.

 

[redreni]

As I mentioned, C2C will be running direct trains between Barking and Stratford on that Sunday, so being at the cheaper hotel in Barking is no drama.

My own personal preference is usually to take the coach from Stratford to Stansted. It's generally much cheaper and very competitive with the train on journey time.

 

[Mattplans]

In the TV case, they didn’t explain in detail. The inference was the passenger was doing a journey via Zone 1 on the Underground with a Zone 2-3 Season Travelcard on Oyster. He used this to get through the barriers at both ends and intentionally did an additional validation which stopped him being charged for travelling via Zone 1. The unusual behaviour flagged up with LU Revenue, they then sent a team to wait for the guy who wasn't hard to find as he did the journey regularly and wore bright red headphones.

I still don't think they would have had an actual legal case against him, but I think that there is certainly a bit of a difference between holding a Zones 2-3 Travelcard and intending to pay nothing extra for travel through Zone 1, and making a PAYG journey where TfL decide what to charge.

Is it possible The case being spoken about (I think) involves a DLR passenger from Woolwich Arsenal. It's not to do with the pink interchange readers. The suspect uses a London bus in the Woolwich Arsenal area, then manages to enter Woolwich Arsenal station without tapping their card. They use the DLR to Canning Town where they then join the London Underground, ending their journey at Gloucester Road. They had a Zone 1 - 2 travelcard. Note that in this case suspicion arose because of the location differences between taps, and there were no entrances/exits recorded at a Zone 2 station, but there were always taps at GR. RJ might be referring to a different case though.

 

[MikeWh]

Is it possible The case being spoken about (I think) involves a DLR passenger from Woolwich Arsenal.

That was almost certainly a different case. There have been several different scenarios hinted at on these types of programs.

 

[Mattplans]

Might be this case. Not sure as I'm not seeing any red headphones!

The man buys a Z2-3 travelcard but uses Harold Wood station in Zone 6. They travel from Highbury & I but are ending their journey at Stratford (a bit confused about this, they're not tapping out at Stratford but they are switching to Liz Line) They do touch the interchange readers at Stratford.

 

[tram21]

As I mentioned, C2C will be running direct trains between Barking and Stratford on that Sunday, so being at the cheaper hotel in Barking is no drama.

My own personal preference is usually to take the coach from Stratford to Stansted. It's generally much cheaper and very competitive with the train on journey time.

I also recommend the coach as it is much cheaper and there's so much choice, look at Flibco, Flixbus and National Express who are all competing.

Unless you want ultimate convenience, which it sounds like you don't, Barking is probably the best option, it does look like its quite a way from the station and more suited to people driving (why you would want to do that I don't know!). The Stratford one is the perfect location really with so many connections

 

[Tester]

The TfL is quite explicit in stating that this discount is only for journeys avoiding Zone 1.



== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Dec 2025 ==


You'd just take the minimum sum of train times for the route and minus 5-10 minutes for added margin. Simples.

Also, a prosecution would not need to be automated. The evidence of repeated fraud would be there to be seen if done consistently.

In my experience, whenever I see the word simples used, it's a bit of a red flag that what is suggested is not in fact simples.

Point proven once again!

 

[Fenchurch SP]

They did move the pink readers at Whitechapel closer to the Overground platforms, presumably to stop people using them when they were travelling via Zone 1. Travelling via Limehouse Shadwell and Farringdon is actually not a bad route, maybe not late at night or with luggage.
Interestingly the TfL planner does offer the default non Zone 1 fare for Barking to West Croydon if you specify via Farringdon so its OK for some journeys.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Is Stratford worth £61 more over two nights? The hotel is closer to the station, and the station has more connections.

For me, yes, as is Canning Town which is usually about the same price as Stratford. But it really does depend how price conscious you are. The journey to/from Barking station would get very boring very quickly for me and I'd happily spend £30 to avoid it. Only you can really say.

The pubs at Crouch Hill are easily walkable or a short bus ride from Finsbury Park also. I don't know which pub(s) you're hoping to visit (I always liked the Old Dairy), but I'd definitely recommend a visit to the Faltering Fullback on Perth Road too.

 

[Connacht]

We have booked accomm in Stratford.

I intend to visit the Robin, as it is similar to the Southampton Arms.

The Robin, Ale and Cider House | Independent pubs in London | 29 Crouch Hill, London N4 4AP, UK

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www.therobinlondon.com