Passengers asked by rail regulator to help in review of train fare prosecutions
The Office of Rail and Road is beginning its review looking at train operators’ approach to suspected fare evasion and the impact on passengers.
Passengers who have been penalised or prosecuted for travelling without the right train ticket are being asked to tell the rail regulator about how their case was handled.
It is part of a government-ordered independent review of rail fare and enforcement prosecutions by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) following claims of train operators taking disproportionate action.
Anyone who travelled without a ticket at all or a valid ticket “for whatever reason” is being asked to fill out a questionnaire that will feed in to the ORR’s analysis on how suspected fare evasion has been dealt with.
ORR director of strategy, policy and reform Stephanie Tobyn said: “If you’ve been penalised for travelling without the right ticket, or with no ticket, then we want to hear from you.
“This will be an invaluable source of information about why this happens and the impact on those passengers.
“It’s really important that train companies stop and deter deliberate fare evasion, but all passengers must be treated fairly and proportionately.
“Our report will look to make recommendations on any areas for change and improvement.”
The questionnaire is available on the ORR website from Monday until January 17.
It is open to anyone who got on a train without a ticket or boarded with an invalid ticket, the ORR said.
This could include people who bought a new ticket for their journey or paid an additional fare, if they paid a penalty fare that included the cost of a new ticket or if they faced prosecution by the train operator.
The name of the train operator involved, the reasons for the penalty being issued and what happened after the penalty was issued are some of the details needed.
Passengers will also be asked if they were aware of the consequences of travelling without a ticket, or with an invalid ticket, before travelling and to attach any related paperwork to their case.
It comes after former transport secretary Louise Haigh announced in November that the ORR’s analysis would also include an assessment of whether ticketing terms and conditions are clear for passengers, and when prosecution is appropriate.
Industry body the Rail Delivery Group has previously estimated that around £240 million is lost through fare evasion on Britain’s railways each year.
Several recent cases of passengers being prosecuted over small amounts of money have been highlighted in the media.
Engineering graduate Sam Williamson said he feared getting a criminal record and being fined hundreds of pounds after being told he was being prosecuted by Government-owned operator Northern because he unknowingly used a railcard at the wrong time, resulting in a £1.90 underpayment.
Northern dropped its action against him following media coverage.
The Department for Transport instructed Northern to review its ticketing policy, which resulted in the operator withdrawing all similar live prosecutions and a pledge to analyse historical cases.
