ScotRail to crack down on fare dodgers

An estimated 900,000 rail journeys each year in Scotland are made by people who deliberately avoid paying their fare, according to a train operator.

ScotRail revealed the figure as it launched a crackdown on fare dodgers.

Its new Buy Before You Board campaign is aimed at encouraging customers to purchase their tickets before getting on the train.

Phil Campbell, ScotRail’s head of revenue protection, said: “We provide a service and it’s only fair that everyone pays the correct fare for the service they use.”

The company said a recent ticket-monitoring exercise revealed that 132 people had travelled without a ticket on 10 services they examined.

A total of 450 flexible journey tickets were found to be used incorrectly during four days of monitoring at Glasgow Queen Street station.

ScotRail is taking action to tackle premeditated fare fraud, saying its surveys show that honest passengers are frustrated by fare dodging.

The firm said it has invested in ticket vending machines at 26 new sites and is upgrading the machines at a further 100 sites to help customers buy their tickets in advance.