Rail operator warns it will set up temporary barriers at unmanned Caithness stations to clamp down on ticket fraud
Caithness rail passengers who attempt to travel without paying the correct fare are warned that ScotRail will be clamping down on such activities.
The train operator is taking further steps to tackle ticket fraud through a series of visible and behind-the-scenes initiatives which aim to minimise ticketless travel, safeguard public money, and improve the overall customer experience.
From this month, an extra 69 ticket examiners will be in post, which will make it even more difficult for potential fraudsters to avoid paying the correct fare.
It is estimated that around £10 million of public money is lost each year to fare evasion and fraud on ScotRail services, public funds that could otherwise be reinvested into the rail network to improve services.
The most common types of fare evasion ScotRail encounters include:
• Short journey claims: Individuals purchasing tickets for shorter journeys, including online, but travelling further than their ticket permits.
• Railcard misuse: Passengers using discounted railcards they are not entitled to or sharing personal railcards with others.
• Self-service ticket machine abuse: Customers exploiting or deliberately misusing self-service ticket machines to avoid paying the correct fare.
To address these challenges, ScotRail is implementing a variety of targeted actions aimed at both preventing and catching fare evaders.
These initiatives include increased ticket checks at stations, increased staffing, and the use of advanced data analysis to identify fraudulent behaviour. Monitoring of self-service ticket machine usage, along with regular audits, also ensures that any suspicious activity is swiftly investigated.
ScotRail has increased the number of staff dedicated to revenue protection, adding more automatic ticket gate staff, on-train teams, and new mobile revenue protection officers.
These teams are tasked with carrying out comprehensive checks on tickets and fare compliance. They can set up temporary barriers at any station, such as Georgemas and Forsinard in Caithness, and conduct full ticket checks. They are authorised to take names and addresses for further investigation if passengers are found to be attempting fare evasion.
Teams of revenue protection officers (RPO) now patrol trains across Scotland’s Railway in addition to existing on train staff, focusing on known routes and offenders. Using their specialised training, they target repeat offenders and take appropriate action, which may include prosecution in severe cases.
ScotRail’s revenue protection team generates around £2 million, which would otherwise have been lost, each year from people who have been caught travelling without a valid ticket.
Technology advancements allow ScotRail to combine frontline staff reports with data such as sales records, and historical ticket usage to detect fraud.
In cases where fraud is identified, ScotRail calculates the total unpaid fare owed, which can amount to thousands of pounds. The train operator can, if required, seek civil recovery, which may affect the offender’s credit rating, or work with British Transport Police to pursue criminal prosecution in severe cases.
These measures have already proven to be effective. During the past year, ScotRail has recouped £25,000 from people who have been caught travelling fraudulently through targeted interventions.
This includes when ScotRail’s on-train staff found a passenger travelling between Easterhouse and Glasgow Queen Street claiming a discount to which they were not entitled. The train operator was able to review CCTV and the individual’s account history. Following interactions with an RPO, the individual settled to a value of more than £1000.
Another passenger, who was travelling to Glasgow Queen Street, had been making mTicket purchases which claimed they boarded at Bishopbriggs, but was actually boarding at Falkirk High. The individual was challenged by ScotRail RPOs, and on a historic review of their account, the passenger was found to be falsifying their journey on a number of occasions. The individual was issued with a bill for more than £1500.
Phil Campbell, ScotRail customer operations director, said: “Tackling ticket fraud has always been a priority for ScotRail.
“It’s a small minority of passengers who deliberately try to avoid paying the proper fare but it’s honest, fare-paying passengers who bear the burden of lost investment in Scotland’s railway.
"Our goal is to ensure that our genuine customers can travel without disruption, knowing that the fare system is fair and enforced. We are fully committed to ensuring that everyone who uses our services pays their fair share.
“These measures not only protect public money but also allow us to reinvest in improvements for the benefit of all passengers.”