Northern extending penalty fares scheme to include Hope Valley rail route

A scheme is being rolled out along a key Derbyshire rail route later this week in a bid to clamp down on fare dodgers.
Northern said most of its stations on penalty fare routes offer customers the opportunity to purchase tickets before they travel.Northern said most of its stations on penalty fare routes offer customers the opportunity to purchase tickets before they travel.
Northern said most of its stations on penalty fare routes offer customers the opportunity to purchase tickets before they travel.

Designed to discourage people from travelling on trains without first paying for their tickets, the penalty fares scheme will be implemented on seven selected Northern routes on December 6, including its services between Manchester and Sheffield, via New Mills Central, Chinley and stations in the Hope Valley.

The penalties, which will be £20 fines or double the cost of a single fare (whichever is the greater), will be enforced at destination stations by Northern’s authorised collectors.

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Previously trialled in West Yorkshire, the scheme is now in the process of being rolled out more widely across Northern’s network.

A spokesperson for Northern said: “Most stations on penalty fare routes will have either ticket offices or ticket vending machines and so customers will have the opportunity to purchase tickets before they travel.

“In addition, tickets may be bought at any time before a customer boards a train by using the Northern App, with no booking fees incurred.

“If these facilities are not available at stations, or if offices are closed or machines out of order, customers will still be able to buy a ticket from the on-board conductor.”

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For customers wanting to pay cash, but ticket machines are card only, Northern says they will be able to obtain ‘promise to pay’ notices from the machines which can be presented, along with cash to the conductor – the full range of fares will still be available on board.

If customers board from stations with ticket machines or staffed ticket offices, but do not have a valid ticket, they will only be eligible for standard fares if buying from the conductor.

If a customer chooses to do this, they may be issued with a penalty fare if an authorised collector is encountered.

“However, there will still be some circumstances in which customers are unable to buy tickets and our authorised collectors are able to use their discretion to ensure no-one faces unfair penalties,” the spokesperson added.