Revenue Protection Policy

Passenger responsibility when travelling

We will be vigorous, effective and consistent in all our dealings with fare evasion and revenue protection activity, using relevant legislation and powers to ensure that we protect the interest of all our fare paying passengers.

We will make it clear to passengers what their responsibilities are when travelling with us, how to get the correct ticket for the journey they are making and if they do not we will make it clear what will happen and when.

We will:

Operate a Penalty Fares Scheme at all our stations and trains
Prosecute criminal fare evasion
Prosecute offences under the Railway Byelaws
Comply with the Data Protection Act
Seek financial compensation for costs and damages incurred

Tickets

All persons travelling with us must be in possession of a valid ticket or authority to travel for their journey before they travel.

Full details of passengers' responsibility to purchase a ticket are in the National Rail Conditions of Travel (NRCoT).

All tickets are issued subject to restrictions and conditions. When purchasing a ticket from us we will explain the restrictions that ticket is subject to:

Verbally at the time of purchase if bought at a ticket office
In the conditions at the time of purchase if bought online
In the conditions at the time of purchase if bought from a Ticket Vending Machine

Penalty Fares

We operate a penalty fares scheme on all of our services and at all of our stations.

We will continually work to improve passenger understanding of the penalty fares scheme and its application. This will include a commitment to ensure:

Passengers understand what they need to do about a penalty fare
How they can appeal against a penalty fare
What the timescales are surrounding a penalty fare
Who to contact surrounding a penalty fare

Unpaid Fares Notices

Some staff who do not issue penalty fares may issue an Unpaid Fares Notice.

An Unpaid Fares Notice, when issued, will clearly show:

What a passenger needs to do to pay the fare owing
How a passenger can dispute their liability to pay
What the timescales are surrounding payment
Who to contact surrounding the payment of the Unpaid Fares Notice

Prosecution

We will privately prosecute, in a court of law, offences reported by our staff. We will make it clear to persons reported for such offences that the facts will be reported and:

What a person reported needs to do
Who to contact in relation to the report

Staff

All our staff will be trained to exercise both the power extended to them and any discretion that is available to them under the licences they hold.

Discretion given to persons authorised to issue penalty fares can be found within the scheme and contains details including:

When a notice can be issued
To whom a notice can be issued
When a notice may not be issued
Treatment of vulnerable groups
Staff training
Staff licensing
Staff will be trained in application of:

NRCoT (National Rail Conditions of Travel)
The Railway Byelaws
Restrictions and Conditions of tickets
Police and Criminal Evidence Act
Any other applicable powers

Some staff have powers under the Railway Safety Accreditation Scheme (RSAS). Details of this can be found on the British Transport Police website.

Use of passenger personal information

Where personal data is recorded it will be in compliance with the relevant legislation. Details can be found in our privacy policy.