At the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, TfL removed the facility to pay by cash at over 200 Underground, DLR and Overground stations across the capital on a temporary basis and later in 2020, they proposed to extend this to cover all their stations in London.

Our research showed the significant impact withdrawing cash would have on passengers, especially those on low incomes, children or the 260,000 adults in London without a bank account. London TravelWatch’s investigation showed that some stations don’t have a Ticket Stop, usually a newsagent or convenience store, nearby, meaning that it would have been harder to top up an Oyster card with cash.

On Monday 21 June 2021 we received a letter from Transport for London Commissioner Andy Byford confirming that the ability to pay by cash will start to be re-instated at all of the Underground, Overground and DLR stations where it was removed at the start of the pandemic.

Also, the internal battle within TfL over whether to keep cash has been settled, (at least for now), with no plans being brought forward for its permanent removal. Although we’ll be keeping an eye on what happens with ticket machines on the DLR, which are due for replacement.

This news is a huge win for London TravelWatch and all the people and organisations that supported us along the way including London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon, Transport for All, Age UK London, the Alzheimer’s Society, Just Fair, Which?,  Law Firm Leigh Day, Jamie Burton QC, Women’s Aid and many, many more.