Train passengers stopped without a ticket should receive a ‘yellow card’ warning instead of a fine for a first offence, a watchdog has said.
Transport Focus has urged all UK operators to introduce the system to “make things fairer for everyone”.
The suggestion comes after media reports highlighted a number of cases in which passengers were being pursued for small amounts of money.
One of them was Sam Williamson, an engineering graduate, who told the Sky News Money Blog last October he was threatened with prosecution by Northern Rail after mistakenly purchasing an invalid £3.65 ticket using his 16-25 rail card.
The total ticket price was £5.50 – £1.85 more.
Mr Williamson used the ticket to board a train just after 7am, not realizing that under the fine print of the railcard conditions his ticket was invalid. A minimum fare of £12 applies to any ticket purchased with a railcard before 10am.
Northern dropped its action against him following media coverage.
Northern Rail brought 28,631 prosecutions against passengers in four years. Photo: PA
Industry body Rail Delivery Group previously estimated that around £240 million was lost each year to fare evasion on Britain’s railways.
Other approaches suggested by Transport Focus to tackle the problem include the introduction of a digital rail map database.
This would allow ticket inspectors to check a passenger’s eligibility for a discount if they say their railcard has been forgotten or cannot be loaded on a phone.
The watchdog also wants increased measures to collect fares – such as secure and appropriate barriers at stations – so passengers know they will be asked to present a valid ticket at the start and end of their travel, as well as during it.
Natasha Grice, rail sector director at Transport Focus, said: “We understand and support the principle that all rail users should pay their fare, but we want to ensure that passengers who make an innocent mistake are not punished. unfairly.
“There are some things the industry could do now to improve the situation, and our research tells us that if the railway is to build trust, an improved approach to revenue protection is needed.
“Recovering this money could help boost investment in services, thereby improving the situation for passengers.”
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In November, the Department for Transport ordered the regulator, the Office of Rail and Road, to conduct an independent review of rail fares prosecutions and enforcement.
It came after more than 28,000 prosecutions brought by Northern Rail and TransPennine Express were canceled and declared illegal.
The two companies then apologized and said they were “committed to ensuring that all our customers are treated fairly, and that means ensuring that everyone who boards our trains has a valid ticket.” .