EMR recovers nearly £2m from fare dodgers

East Midlands Railway has announced it has recovered almost £2 million from fare dodgers over the past year.

Its revenue protection officers and onboard staff issued 11,798 notices, returning a combined total of £1,912,887.

Notices were issued for several reasons, including travelling without a valid ticket, travelling with a child ticket as an adult, travelling without a valid railcard and travelling beyond the destination printed on a ticket.

Philippa Cresswell, EMR’s customer experience director, said: “The vast majority of customers do the right thing and pay for their travel – they understand that a fair and sustainable railway relies on everyone contributing.

“Unfortunately, a small number continue to try and travel without paying. The impact of fare evasion is felt by our law-abiding, fare-paying customers and, ultimately, the taxpayer.

“It’s indefensible for certain individuals to believe they’re exempt from paying for our services.

“Put simply, fare evasion is a criminal offence, and we’re committed to taking action against those who deliberately avoid paying.”