More than 40,000 fines handed to rail fare-dodgers

The rail companies hope the number of fines will deter others from not paying what is owed

More than 40,000 fines for ticketless travel were issued by two rail companies in 2023, with 8,760 resulting in prosecutions.

West Midlands Railway and sister company London Northwestern Railway said more than £300,000 of revenue was recovered in 2023 by their fraud team.

They said millions of pounds of revenue were lost to fare-dodgers every year.

Last year the national penalty fare for ticketless travel increased to a minimum of £100.

The pair of companies issued a total of 41,691 penalty fares to ticketless travellers in 2023.

The head of revenue protection at West Midlands Railway, Annamaria Izzard, said: "I hope these figures encourage people to think twice about ticketless travel."

Penalty fares can also be issued for other transgressions by passengers, including those who:

• Cannot show an appropriate Railcard for a discounted ticket

• Travel in First Class with a Standard Class ticket

• Travel on a child ticket, but are 16 or over

• Travel beyond the destination on the ticket