Passenger Focus has claimed that passengers using Britain’s rail network face ‘very inconsistent treatment when travelling without a valid ticket’ in a new report.
The watchdog claims passengers who make an ‘innocent mistake can find themselves facing a hefty bill, or in some of the worst cases, a criminal prosecution’.
Passenger Focus says it has been contacted by ‘hundreds of passengers who have faced very unfair treatment as a result of an inconsistent application of complex rules’.
Anthony Smith, Passenger Focus, chief executive said:
“No one is in favour of fare dodgers. However, passengers deserve a fair hearing. If they have forgotten their railcard, lost one of their tickets but have proof of purchase or have been unable to pick up booked tickets they should be given a second chance.”
Passenger Focus said it wants to see the introduction of a code of practice for non Penalty Fare areas which sets out ‘clear and consistent guidelines’ on how passengers who board without a ‘valid’ ticket should be dealt with.
A spokesperson for the Association of Train Operating Companies said:
“We recognise the concerns raised by the report and are already working on an industry-wide code of practice that will set out how operators deal with fare dodgers and where discretion can be shown for passengers who have made an honest mistake.
“Train companies need to take a firm but fair approach to fare dodging because unfortunately there will always be people who try to get away without paying. The overwhelming majority of the three million people who travel by train every day get the right ticket for their journey with no problems whatsoever.”
