SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY DEPLOYS STAFF TO COMBAT FARE EVASION SCHEME

South Western Railway has launched a crackdown on passengers purchasing tickets for short journeys and using them to enter stations despite travelling from distant locations. The operator identified that up to 95 per cent of barcode tickets sold for the four-minute route between Vauxhall and London Waterloo were being used fraudulently. The practice, known as "short-faring", involves buying cheaper tickets valid only for the short journey and using them to open barriers at London Waterloo while having travelled from much further away on the operator's network. South Western Railway estimates the fare evasion puts approximately £1 million of revenue at risk.

In response, the operator deployed additional revenue protection staff at Vauxhall to scan all electronic tickets upon entry to the station. This allows staff at London Waterloo to identify fare dodgers, as an unscanned electronic ticket from Vauxhall indicates the passenger has travelled from a more distant location. Since June, the trial identified 153 short-faring offences, compared with seven during the same period the previous year. Passengers caught without the correct ticket must pay a £100 penalty fare, reduced to £50 if paid within 21 days, and purchase a single ticket for their full journey. Repeat offenders can face prosecution.

Early data suggests approximately one-third of passengers previously identified as conducting the short-faring scheme are now purchasing correct tickets for their journeys. However, the trial has demonstrated how quickly some fare dodgers adapt their tactics, with one alternative South Western Railway station in London experiencing an 89 per cent increase in barcode ticket purchases. Matthew Winnie, South Western Railway and Network Rail Wessex chief customer and commercial officer, stated that the overwhelming majority of customers pay the correct fare, but evidence shows some people are deliberately exploiting the system.