Transport for London (TfL) has revealed, via the Freedom of Information (FOI) section of its website, the cost of using social media influencers to help raise awareness of various topics and promote public transport use.
Request ID: FOI-2222-2526
Date published: 07 October 2025
Since July 2024 to-date, TfL has spent £235,000 on paid media with social influencers. This is for customer information explaining the benefits of the Cycle Hire Scheme, how to help where there are incidences of sexual harassment on the public transport network, and to encourage participation in Cycle Sundays. In addition, TfL has spent £107,045 on content for TfL’s organic social channels, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram covering messaging to raise awareness on many subjects including:
• Priority seating week
• Road safety and public transport safety
• TfL Go to help with journey planning
• Cable car, Santander Cycles, and e-bikes
• Cycle Sundays
• Using TfL services at key times of the year as well as to encourage car drivers to use public transport
• Fares information such as the bus fares freeze and the Oyster student concession
• Walking maps
• To raise awareness of the new Silvertown tunnel cycle shuttle and how to use it
TfL uses influencers to reach specific audiences and where deeper more personal or informal engagement is needed, and where a message would have more engagement with a specific target audience using a non-TfL voice. In addition, there are other considerations such where we need to increase the relatability and normality of the behaviour change ask ie. ‘for people like me’, where the ‘lived experience’ is important, or to show how easy the behaviour change ask is or to draw on the experience of real Londoners to help others e.g. tips, guides. We worked with a range of people to develop the information, including cycling enthusiasts, disability campaigners, cultural vloggers. TfL also looks to work, where possible, with third parties to create social content to promote its services at no cost.
Just to clarify briefly, I did not make the Freedom of Information request, as TfL stated that they publish the response online without disclosing any personal information of the requester. A similar procedure applies with the ‘What Do They Know’ website, where anyone can submit a FOI request to a UK governing body, and the correspondence is available for the general public to view.
Just to point out, as I mentioned in my previous article back in 2024, transport enthusiasts are some of the biggest promoters of public transport because they help advertise services by taking photos or videos of buses, trains, or trams and sharing them on social media. This is the time we are in.
Later that year, in another article, I expressed my support for transport workers filming point-of-view (POV) cab ride videos of the Underground and railway services.
Taking a look at another FOI request on the TfL website, which shows some comments in support for Dale Charman, and one comment about a video posted on TfL's YouTube channel titled "Elizabeth Line Train Driver POV: Paddington to London Heathrow," it’s clear that the video received mixed feedback. Some viewers appreciated the insight it gave into the journey, although there was criticism about the use of royalty-free music, with suggestions that natural sounds would create a more immersive experience. There were also calls for similar videos to be made for other lines, such as the London Underground and Overground.
In addition to this, several comments expressed disappointment and confusion over TfL’s decision to restrict Dale Charman and potentially other drivers from filming in the cab, despite no safety concerns being raised. Supporters highlighted that Dale’s videos were informative, engaging, and helped promote TfL positively, even encouraging new passengers to feel more comfortable using the Tube. Many argued that the videos posed no risk and actually contributed to transparency and ongoing driver assessment.
TfL should work with Dale Charman to film cab ride videos of his duties, especially so they can use his footage on their own YouTube channel to help promote both Dale’s channel and his personal brand. This kind of collaboration would provide authentic and engaging content that highlights the day-to-day operations of TfL in a positive and relatable way.
There are also bus drivers working for companies contracted by TfL who post POV videos of their bus routes on their YouTube channels. TfL should reach out to these drivers too, recognising the value their videos offer in raising awareness and encouraging people to use bus services.
It is important for TfL to connect with staff who publish POV videos and work together with them. Such partnerships are vital for promoting public transport use and enhancing the TfL brand by showing transparency, pride, and the human side of the service.
Furthermore, TfL should produce more POV cab ride videos covering the Underground, railway, and tram services without background music, as previous feedback has suggested. Using only natural sounds such as train noises, station announcements, and ambient audio creates a more immersive and authentic experience, helping viewers feel as though they are genuinely on the journey rather than being distracted by artificial soundtracks. This approach would also provide a cost-effective alternative to influencer-led campaigns and heavily produced social content. Given that TfL has spent over £342,000 since July 2024 on paid media and content creation for social media, including work with influencers, producing simple in-house POV videos could help reduce expenditure while still effectively engaging audiences, raising awareness of services, and promoting public transport in an accessible and relatable way.
In conclusion, while TfL’s investment in influencer campaigns and social media content has its place, there is clearly untapped potential in working more closely with its own staff and the wider community of transport enthusiasts. These individuals are already promoting the network passionately and at little to no cost, often producing content that connects more genuinely with the public. By embracing and supporting the creation of more natural, behind-the-scenes videos such as point-of-view cab rides, TfL can build greater public trust, promote its services more effectively, and make better use of its budget. With growing demand for authentic and informative content, now is the right time for TfL to rethink its digital strategy and recognise the value of community-led engagement.
I would like to extend an invite for you to follow me on X (formerly Twitter) for transport-related updates. You can find me by searching for @CLondoner92 or by clicking on the direct link to my X page here. I am also present on BlueSky and Mastodon. I look forward to connecting with you on these platforms. Thank you for your support.
Further reading
Transport for London Should Introduce Rolling Recruitment for More London Underground Customer Service Assistants to Reduce Disruption, Including Station Closures