Midland Metro bids to increase fare dodging fines to £70
THE penalty fine for not buying a Midland Metro ticket could soon be increased from £10 to £70.
But, in line with other types of transport offences such as parking fines, the cost would be halved to £35 if paid within 21 days.
The West Midlands Combined Authority is looking to bring in the tough new penalty in the new year.
It believes that the current rate of only £10 is no longer a deterrent.
Figures reveal that just 132 penalty fares were issued in 2015 at the rate set by the Midland Metro (Penalty Fares) Act 1991. “The current penalty fare on Midland Metro is £10 and is deemed an unsuitable deterrent for fare evasion,” a report explains. The authority must first apply for powers to set its own rate of fines, instead of needing approval from the Secretary of State.
An application to change the procedure is likely to be made in January.
A spokesman for the WMCA added: “When you consider the cost of a single journey from one end of the Metro line to the other is just £4.10 you can see why some people think it’s worth the risk of not paying at all. It is not fair on National Express West Midlands who operate it on our behalf, nor for the vast majority of passengers who do pay their way.”
The line currently goes from Grand Central in Birmingham to Wolverhampton but work will start on a second line from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill next year.