The rail regulator (the Office of Rail and Road) is recommending
improvements to how the rail industry handles revenue protection,
making it more consistent, fairer and effective after concerns
were raised about how rules are enforced.
The in-depth review, commissioned by government, reveals the
current system needs to work better for passengers, train
operators and taxpayers alike.
ORR found:
- significant inconsistency in approaches to revenue protection
across the network, leading to very different outcomes for
passengers
- clear areas where better information would help passengers
buy the right ticket, and where they need to understand their
rights; plus what options they have if action is taken against
them for suspected fare evasion
- scope to improve fairness for passengers making honest
mistakes, while helping the industry better address fare evasion,
and deal with those who attempt to defraud the railway
Fare evasion is a crime and costs Britain's railway hundreds of
millions of pounds each year lost in revenue. But while train
operators have stepped up revenue protection efforts in recent
years, safeguards to ensure passengers are treated consistently
and fairly when subject to enforcement action have not kept pace.
ORR's comprehensive investigation looked at the root causes of
what leads to passengers travelling without a valid ticket, and
how industry responds to this.
The report identifies areas for improvement and makes targeted
recommendations that will address these issues:
-
Make buying the right ticket simpler and
easier
Give passengers clearer information about conditions or
restrictions when they are buying a ticket, for example,
permitted routes, time restrictions or the use of railcards. This
will help reduce confusion and unintentional mistakes.
-
Strengthen consistency in how passengers are treated
when ticket issues arise
Passengers should be treated fairly and consistently when they
are found without a valid ticket, with industry focusing on
targeting intentional fare evasion, as opposed to genuine
mistakes, and responding proportionately.
-
Introduce greater consistency and fairness in the use
of prosecutions
Establish a consistent test for prosecution across all operators,
ensuring cases only proceed when clearly justified and in the
public interest.
-
Make information on revenue protection easy to access
and understand
Information should clearly set out passengers' rights and how
penalties, prosecutions, out-of-court settlements and appeals
work
-
Greater coordination, oversight and transparency of
revenue protection activity
Establish an appropriate forum or body tasked with identifying
and promoting best practice across all aspects of revenue
protection policy and enforcement
The Transport Secretary and Department for Transport will now
consider the recommendations and how, and to what extent, these
should be implemented. ORR will provide further support as
required.
Stephanie Tobyn, ORR's director of strategy, policy and
reform, said:
"Effective revenue protection is essential
for a sustainable railway, but it must be fair and proportionate
for passengers. Our recommendations aim to protect both industry
revenue and support passenger confidence.
“Our evidence shows a system that has evolved over time where the
legal framework and enforcement processes are increasingly
complex and appear weighted towards industry, leaving some
passengers who make innocent errors vulnerable to
disproportionate outcomes. But meanwhile, fare evasion remains a
significant problem, and rigorous action should be taken against
those who intentionally seek to defraud the railway.”
Notes to editors
-
Rail Revenue Protection Review
– report (live at 00.01 4 June)
- On 13 November 2024, the Secretary of State for Transport
asked ORR to carry out an independent review of train operators'
revenue protection practices. ORR looked into two main
areas: operators' and retailers' consumer practices, such as how
they are communicating ticket conditions; and operators' revenue
protection enforcement and broader consumer practices in this
area, including the use of prosecutions
