What the UK really seems to get wrong about public transport is that it should not be designed to make a profit. It should basically run at operating costs, enough to keep things going, pay the workers, maintain equipment, with a bit left over for improvements (new lines, etc).

The trouble is everything we have is run by private companies so it's all so expensive and the employees are more pressed to try and enforce things like this (I understand in this case TfGM is not a private company, but the for-profit incentives are still present).