THOUSANDS of pounds worth of fines were dished out to people who travelled on trains in Wales without paying for a ticket throughout April.

In many cases, fairly low cost journeys, such as the route between Caerphilly and Cardiff, or the trip from Penarth to the capital city saw passengers fined upwards of £200 for journeys which would have cost as little as £3.30.

Most of the cases being heard at magistrates courts across South Wales in recent weeks relate to incidents of fair dodging which took place in 2021.

But, according to Transport for Wales (TfW), which operates the Wales and Borders rail network – in addition to managing stations in this area - these cases are but a drop in the ocean.

They estimate that in 2021, “more than 70,000 passengers” were caught without a ticket on the TfW.

It is worth noting that the laws requiring train users to pay for a ticket, and to display one when required, aren’t new pieces of legislation.

Travelling without a ticket falls foul of the Regulation of Railways Act 1889 – so it is fair to say that passengers have more than a year or two to familiarise themselves with the law.

What’s more, the majority of stations have signage reminding the public to pay their way.

So why are so many people currently being fined?

Simply put, there are two reasons.

Firstly, the covid pandemic has led to a backlog of court cases, and HM Courts & Tribunals Service are working through a lengthy backlog at this time.

This includes court cases of all kinds.

But, with Transport for Wales referring 1,419 cases to magistrates during the last 12 months, it is easy to see why so many ticketing offences are finding their way onto the court lists at this time.

The second factor is an increased amount of “revenue protection activity” being carried out, as a direct result of the number of instances of people failing to pay for a ticket.

While the exact nature of this activity is not specified, it is understood to include ticket inspections, both on trains and at stations.

These activities have taken place at Cardiff’s stations, along with “well as known hotspots in the north and south west.”

What has been said about the current fare dodging situation?

Brian Smith, head of revenue protection at Transport for Wales said: “During 2021 more than 70,000 passengers were caught without a ticket, leading to an increase in revenue protection activity targeting Cardiff and the surrounding areas, as well as known hotspots in the north and south west.

“All cases are dealt with by offering advice on the many ways available to buy tickets before boarding or passengers are issued with a recordable ‘Fail to Pay’ notice giving 21 days to pay the fare owed.

“Cases are only escalated to court when passengers have demonstrated a clear intent not to pay and have been unable to provide an adequate reason. 1,419 cases were referred to Magistrates during the last 12 months and are now being heard, clearing a backlog as a result of the pandemic. 

“The vast majority of customers play by the rules and buy tickets before boarding and we are acting in the best interests of the public to close in on the minority who expect a free ride. Transport for Wales is a not-for-profit organisation and rail fares help fund the delivery of services and future investment in public transport.

“However, there are some who continue to cheat the system even though huge investments have been made to simplify ticket purchase such as new self-service machines, ticket offices, smart ticketing, Payzone outlets and our new TfW app.”