Rail passengers travelling at Carlton Station without a ticket will be fined later this month where they could previously buy tickets on board.
Carlton is included in the new plans by East Midlands Railway (EMR) to expand its network of Penalty Fare Routes to reduce fare evasion and protect taxpayers money.
Customers were previously allowed to pay on the train and not before travel as there were no ticket machines at the station.
Gedling Eye’s railway correspondent Tony Cave voiced his concerns around the scheme expansion plans.
He said: “There is only one ticket machine at Carlton, and that is on platform 2, and it only accepts card payments,
You will need to allow at least 15 minutes before your train is due, especially when travelling from platform 1, the Nottingham direction, as the barriers are sometimes closed for 10 minutes between trains, and there could be a queue to buy tickets, especially at busy times.
“Now if you only have cash, one option, if travelling to Nottingham, Beeston, Attenborough or Bulwell, is to buy a Robin Hood Day ticket from a bus driver, and then use it on the train. Otherwise the next nearest ticket office is Nottingham which still accepts cash payments.
Netherfield is not currently affected, and there is a ticket machine on the platform which you can use for travel later from Carlton (Put your origin station as Carlton). If you do join a train at Carlton without a ticket you may be liable to a penalty charge.
The extension also covers Belper to Matlock, Nottingham – Crewe (extension of the existing route between Nottingham and Derby), Nottingham – Liverpool (in line with TransPennine Express and Northern’s existing Penalty Fare route) and Peterborough – Doncaster
“Cost to industry“
Rail bossess say fare evasion costs the rail industry an estimated £400million a year. For EMR alone, it accounts for around £20 million annually. They said lost revenue means less investment in the services and stations customers rely on.
Philippa Cresswell, Customer Experience Director at East Midlands Railway, said: “The vast majority of our customers travel with a valid ticket, and we are committed to supporting them by tackling fare evasion across our network.
“We will always try to make sure our customers have the opportunity to purchase the right ticket they need to travel, and we’re investing in customer communications and awareness campaigns so people are well informed before any changes are introduced.
“It’s important that everyone pays the correct fare so we can continue to reinvest in the railway and deliver improvements for all our passengers.”
Penalty Fares can only be issued by authorised members of EMR’s Revenue Protection Team, who are fully trained and carry identification.
Under the Railways (Penalty Fares) Regulations 2018 (amended 2022), passengers who travel without a valid ticket on a designated Penalty Fare Route may be issued with a £100 Penalty Fare, reduced to £50 if paid within 21 days, in addition to the full single fare for the journey.
