Midland Metro is to introduce a regime of ticket inspections, with passengers not holding a valid ticket being issued a penalty fare notice (PFN), according to a report to the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) board. The WMCA, which runs trams and buses in the region, proposes to increase Midland Metro Penalty Fare amount from £10 to £100 – which would be £50 if paid within 14 days.
The coming in of a Buy Before You Board (BBYB), which has been discussed for some years, scheme provides a natural transition point to introducing a new penalty fares regime, according to a report to the WMCA board. As customers have had the option to buy Metro tickets on board, BBYB will mean an ‘off-board ticketing approach’, the report stated. The change will mean a ‘soft launch’ over several months, the report added.
The £10 penalty fare is considered to present an increased risk of fare evasion, the report said, when ‘buy before you board’ comes in. Robust measures to secure revenue protection are described as ‘fundamental to this endeavour and to act as a deterrent to potential fare evaders’.
For more on fraud prevention by Transport for London (TfL) on the London Underground visit the London mayoral website.
On Tyneside, meanwhile, the light rail operator Nexus is again due to run Operation Coastwatch for tackling disorder and anti-social behaviour at the popular North Tyneside coast. Erika Allen, Quality, Health, Safety, Security and Environment Director at Nexus, said: “Metro is a major gateway into the North Tyneside coastline over the summer months, and we want people to come and enjoy it, but we don’t want a minority of troublemakers to spoil it for everyone else.
“We’re working closely with the police and our local authority partners again this year through Operation Coastwatch. Metro is a safe system and we are determined to keep it that way.
“These operations are proving successful in dealing with any issue that arise, including anti-social behaviour and fare evasion.
“This builds on the work we have already done to improve safety and security on the transport network, including the roll out of our dedicated security teams, investment in new CCTV, and the launch of our new text message alert system to allow customers to contact the Metro control room more easily.”
Photo by Mark Rowe: Midland Metro tram at Birmingham Snow Hill for Wolverhampton.
