The number of Transport for London (TfL) workers earning a basic salary of more than £100,000 has surged by 15% in the last financial year, new figures reveal.
Data published in TfL's latest remuneration report shows the number of staff with a six figure basic salary climbed from 536 to 617 over the past year.
In 2016, TfL had just 188 employees on a base salary of more than £100,000.
It comes as TfL and London Underground staff received a 3.4% pay rise in 2025 to 2026, with benefits including a free annual travel pass for a family member or friend.
A total of 2,048 TfL staff received more than £100,000 once bonuses and overtime were included, the report reveals.
That was down from 2,217 in 2024/25, when the total was inflated by backdated pay awards.
“The figures for 2024/25 were impacted by the payment of back-dated pay awards causing an increase in the numbers last year,” the report states.
“The overall number of people who earned more than £100,000 in 2025/26 fell by 169 to 2,048.”
Commissioner Andy Lord was the highest-paid employee, receiving £635,533 in total, including a base salary of £460,295 and bonuses of £172,222.
Despite the hefty pay packet, it was around £3,631 lower than the previous year.
Mr Lord is paid around nine times the median TfL salary at the organisation, which is chaired by London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan.
He is responsible for directing the operations of the network, securing long-term funding and carrying out the priorities outlined in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy.
According to benchmarking against similar public and private sector organisations, the report concludes that Lord and his chief officers are paid “significantly below the market level”.
Helen Chapman, the former Director of Licensing and Regulation, had the second highest income at £430,098, which included £302,593 as “compensation for loss of employment”.
She left the organisation earlier this year.
Fiona Brunskill, TfL's Chief People Officer, had the third-highest income at £418,556, including a base salary of £321,035 and £94,539 in benefits.
The salaries are well above that of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who earns £174,039 a year, and the median full-time London wage of £49,826.
TfL says 225 of the employees earning six-figure basic salaries are below senior management level, with 217 of those salaries set by London Underground.
They are understood to be “safety-critical” roles rather than Tube drivers.
TfL employs around 28,000 people, with seven trade unions representing its workforce.
The average Tube driver earns about £73,700 a year, although more senior drivers can earn more.
Junior station staff earn around £36,000, while senior station staff are paid about £45,000.
Men accounted for the overwhelming majority of those earning basic salaries above £100,000, making up 77% of the total, while women accounted for 23%.
TfL described performance-related pay as a “critical component” of its total remuneration package, helping to “attract and retain” talent.
Peter Strachan, Chair of TfL’s People and Remuneration Committee, said: “Despite a turbulent economy, TfL has delivered a financial surplus for three successive years and continues to cover all day-to-day running costs from its own income, with any surplus invested back into improvements across the network.
“Our people are critical to ensuring that TfL delivers for London. This means ensuring that remuneration remains competitive, whilst ensuring pay is set at an appropriate and affordable level. In doing so, TfL can continue to attract and retain the motivated, skilled and talented people that it needs.”
A TfL spokesperson said: "TfL is a complex £9bn billion a year turnover organisation that is central to the success of London and the UK – getting millions of Londoners and visitors to where they need to go each day and delivering complex engineering projects across the city to improve transport for everyone.
“Our services and transport upgrades support jobs, homes and economic growth both within and outside the capital – with 100,000 jobs supported by our investment in our supply chain spread across the country. At the same time, we have continued to make the organisation more efficient – with £1.8bn of annual recurring savings delivered since 2016.
“While there was a rise in the number of employees with a base salary of £100,000 or more in 2025/26 due to inflationary rises, the overall number of people who earned more than £100,000 during 2025/26 reduced by eight per cent.
“In a highly competitive market, in which comparator companies pay their top executives significantly more than TfL, it is essential that we continue to attract and retain staff across all disciplines of the organisation, which includes ensuring that pay increases are achieved for all colleagues.”
Here’s a list of the top earners at Transport for London:
Andy Lord, Commissioner - £635,533 down from £639,164
Helen Chapman (has now left tfL) - £430,098, mainly as compensation for loss of employment
Fiona Brunskill, Chief People Officer - £418,556 up from £377,654
Rachel McLean, Chief Financial Officer - £390,163 down from £437,454
Claire Mann, Chief Operating Officer - £389,676 up from £307,206
Alex Williams, Chief Customer and Strategy Officer - £378,388 down from £382,236
Andrea Clarke, General Counsel - £359,555 up from £298,541
Stuart Harvey, Chief Capital Officer - £358,050 down from £423,583
Patrick Doig, Chief Finance Officer - £313,952 up from £297,298
Peter McNaught, Director of Operational Performance and Readiness - £265,108 up from £264,192
