"You can be arrested for taking pictures at this station"

[ABB125]

Apparently, if I haven't requested permission from TfL in advance and then said hello to the station supervisor, I can be arrested for taking pictures at TfL stations. And if I'm caught doing so at any other station, I will now "suffer the consequences", as I've been warned. Security breach was the reason cited.



Has anyone else come across this on TfL? I've never had any problems before, and this wasn't even and underground station!

 

[Peterthegreat]

Apparently, if I haven't requested permission from TfL in advance and then said hello to the station supervisor, I can be arrested for taking pictures at TfL stations. And if I'm caught doing so at any other station, I will now "suffer the consequences", as I've been warned. Security breach was the reason cited.



Has anyone else come across this on TfL? I've never had any problems before, and this wasn't even and underground station!

There is no law against this. I would carry on. Any consequences would be suffered by the accuser.

 

[ABB125]

There is no law against this. I would carry on. Any consequences would be suffered by the accuser.

That's what I thought, and I don't think there are any special rules for TfL?Perhaps the member of staff was using the presence of a camera to threaten me with, in lieu of the mask I wasn't wearing!
Anyway, I was only briefly stopping at that station. Back on the train now!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

TfL's own website (see link below) seems to suggest that private photographers taking photos for their own personal use is permitted, at the station's discretion.

No use of flash or tripods though.

"Filming & photography on TfL - Transport for London" https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/filming-and-photography/filming-and-photography-on-tfl

Private photographers/film makers travelling through the station
We get many requests from tourists, train enthusiasts, budding photographers and customers 'passing through' a station who may want to take photographs or film for their own personal use. We agree that this is acceptable, at the station's discretion, as long as additional camera equipment (including flash and tripods) is not used.

The weasel words, however, are "at the station's discretion".

Commercial photography seems to be more of a revenue generating exercise!

 

[bramling]

Apparently, if I haven't requested permission from TfL in advance and then said hello to the station supervisor, I can be arrested for taking pictures at TfL stations. And if I'm caught doing so at any other station, I will now "suffer the consequences", as I've been warned. Security breach was the reason cited.



Has anyone else come across this on TfL? I've never had any problems before, and this wasn't even and underground station!

Might I ask where this was?

I'd say it merits a complaint, staff should not be making up their own rules.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Might I ask where this was?

I'd say it merits a complaint, staff should not be making up their own rules.

The excerpt above says specifically that they can, on a per-station basis.

 

[ABB125]

Might I ask where this was?

Queens Park

The excerpt above says specifically that they can, on a per-station basis.

However, a simple "please don't take pictures here unless you've got permission" is surely more appropriate than "if we catch you again, you'll be arrested"?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Queens Park

However, a simple "please don't take pictures here unless you've got permission" is surely more appropriate than "if we catch you again, you'll be arrested"?

Yes, I think the latter is ridiculous. They would however be within their rights to ask you to leave and use reasonable force/call BTP if you did not.

Edit: You would then be arrested if the BTP asked you to leave and you didn't - but that's a long way down the line!

 

[Trackman]

There is no law against this. I would carry on. Any consequences would be suffered by the accuser.

I was stopped on the platform at a tube station once by two armed policemen when filming my mum, they started going on about terrorism laws etc. I explained what and why I was doing and the subject had their back to a wall and there were no other people or trains or anything in the shot. They said ‘We know’ but ‘You could be a terrorist”.
I suppose I should have asked the station supervisor for permission, but I suppose BTP could overrule this .

 

[bramling]

The excerpt above says specifically that they can, on a per-station basis.

The official line is it’s at the discretion of the station supervisor. *However*, staff are expected to have a valid reason to refuse.

The station being heavily congested might be such a reason, but a member of staff who simply doesn’t fancy pictures being taken most certainly isn’t.

 

[warwickshire]

Another one is Stratford station in London even though we all might be filming freight or 317s or 321s etc.
As long as you sign in into the tfl mtrs managers office..
However queens park might be good for a auditor to try it out. But that's another story .
However looks like London underground are being a bit to over the top.

 

[Nunners]

Apparently, if I haven't requested permission from TfL in advance and then said hello to the station supervisor, I can be arrested for taking pictures at TfL stations. And if I'm caught doing so at any other station, I will now "suffer the consequences", as I've been warned. Security breach was the reason cited.



Has anyone else come across this on TfL? I've never had any problems before, and this wasn't even and underground station!

I haven't had problems with TfL but I find Network Rail can be very bad at this - I've been stopped at Waterloo, Waterloo East and Edinburgh at least (possibly more but I can't remember)

 

[ABB125]

I haven't had problems with TfL but I find Network Rail can be very bad at this - I've been stopped at Waterloo, Waterloo East and Edinburgh at least (possibly more but I can't remember)

I very rarely have problems - I ticket 5he last time was at Liverpool Street, in 2019 (or maybe 2018)!

 

[birchesgreen]

The only trouble i've ever had while photographing trains was at a LU station (Acton Town), tannoy message saying taking photos wasn't allowed. BS of course.

 

[AlterEgo]

However queens park might be good for a auditor to try it out. But that's another story .

Why, are they not paying their taxes?