Transport Secretary Louise Haigh will ask the Office for Rail and Road (ORR) to look at how suspected fare evasion is dealt with.
The review will look at how clear terms and conditions are for passengers and how they are communicated, as well as when prosecution is an appropriate step.
Train companies have been accused of being heavy-handed with fare evaders, even in the cases of innocent mistakes. The most serious sanction for fare evasion is prosecution, which can land passengers with a magistrates court appearance and a serious criminal record.
In one recent case, a graduate faced prosecution by train company Northern for using a 16-25 Railcard to pay £1.90 less than he should have done. Despite admitting his error and offering to pay a fine or a new fare, the man’s case was passed to Northern’s prosecutions and debt recovery department, which eventually dropped the action.
Train operators are able to use a variety of methods to ensure customers are paying the correct amount – including, in some cases, prosecution.
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‘Ticketing is far too complicated’
Haigh said: “Make no mistake, deliberate fare-dodging has no place on our railways and must be tackled, but innocent people shouldn’t feel like a genuine mistake will land them in court. An independent review is the right course of action, and will help restore passengers’ confidence in the system.
“It is clear that ticketing is far too complicated, with a labyrinth of different fares and prices, which can be confusing for passengers. That’s why we have committed to the biggest overhaul of our railways in a generation, including simplifying fares to make travelling by train easier.”
Stephanie Tobyn, ORR’s director of strategy, policy and reform, said: “We welcome the opportunity to conduct this review. It is important passengers are treated fairly and dealt with consistently and proportionately when ticketing issues arise, whilst also balancing the legitimate revenue protection interests of operators and taxpayers.”
In commissioning the review, the Transport Secretary encouraged the ORR’s review team to draw upon advice from independent experts, including legal and industry specialists, as well as engaging fully with passenger representatives.
Officials at the Department for Transport will work at pace with the ORR to finalise the scope, timings and terms of reference.
Alex Robertson, chief executive of Transport Focus, said: “We welcome the Secretary of State for Transport’s announcement of a review into improving revenue protection practices.
“We will be sharing with the review what passengers have told us about how confusing the current ticketing system is. People who have made an innocent mistake should be treated with understanding and not immediately assumed to be guilty.
“We also know fare evasion costs the railway hundreds of millions of pounds every year, money [that] could be better used to improve services for passengers. Positive action on revenue protection with a focus on ensuring penalties are given only to those who deserve them will help build trust and confidence in the railway.”
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