£11k in fines for fare cheats
Fare-dodgers have been forced to pay out nearly £11,000 in fines after failing to buy tickets on the region's railways.
Central Trains has now brought the number of people travelling without tickets to an all-time low following the launch of a package of security measures, including its high-profile name and shame campaign.
Since it started in March 2005, more than £500,000 has been clawed back from thousands of fare dodgers through the courts in fines, costs and compensation.
Each have been forced to pay on average 10 times the cost of the ticket they should have purchased. And as well as paying the financial penalty, people caught travelling without tickets have their names printed on station billboards around the region and in the Express & Star. Latest figures have revealed 55 people were caught on trains without a ticket, having to pay out a total of £10,911 between them.
Around two per cent of passengers, which is down from five per cent when the campaign first started.
Russell Price, Head of Revenue Protection at Central, said: "Rain is going to be the least of these people's worries. The average fine is just over £200 and that's going to dampen their spirits far more than the rain ever could."
Successfully clamping down on fare dodgers is the latest good news for Central Trains, which has recently celebrated bucking a national trend by improving its services.
Earlier this month figures showed that more than 86 per cent of its trains arrived at their destinations on time between January and March this year – a one per cent improvement on the same period last year.
The figures, compiled by the independent Office of Rail Regulation, come as it was revealed that the number of trains running on time fell nationally.
Central Trains is one of the country's major train companies, operating an extensive network of services throughout the Midlands to South Wales, the North West, East Anglia and the East Coast.
Ticket cheats are named
Cannock: Julie Liong, 22 of Prince Street, £228; Chan Y Keong, aged 22 of Prince Street, £228; Stuart Allen, 23, of Park Street, £201.
Smethwick: Jayne Hill, 18, Mill Drive, £201; Amir Omar, 31, of Dibble Road, £201
Solihull: Andrew Watts, aged 23 of Barston Lane, £201.
Stourbridge: Gareth Hinch, aged 24 of Balds Lane, £177; Michelle Bagnell, aged 24 of Hall Street, £201
Tipton: Jumaine Gayle, aged 26 of Bolton Court, £227. Walsall: Mohammed Zafar, aged 20 of Croft Street, £201. West Bromwich: Abhi Kalia, aged 23 of Ripon Drive, £202.
Wolverhampton: Mark Frazier, aged 19 of Lawrence Avenue, £228.
