Train operators to crack down on ‘donutters’ and other digital ticket cheats
South Western and GTR announce fightback after move away from paper tickets increases fare dodging There is more than one way to commit fraud and, for some rail travellers, it has been as simple as a couple of taps on their phone as their train approaches its destination. That telltale last-minute purchase of a digital ticket – for the shortest journey that will allow them to bleep through the…
Rail operators, South Western Railway (SWR) and GTR, announce their efforts to combat fare evasion amid the shift from paper to digital tickets. This move has created new opportunities for fraudsters who exploit loopholes in the new system. The government, which will oversee rail services when they are renationalised, backs the crackdown on "short-faring," a practice where passengers buy a digital ticket for the shortest portion of their journey and avoid paying for the remainder.
Short-faring, alongside other deceptive tactics like "quick scanning," "tailgating," and "donutting," cost the rail industry up to £400 million annually. To tackle this issue, SWR and GTR have introduced new measures, including physical ticket machines for some short routes, as these were found to have up to 95% of tickets being used fraudulently.
Additionally, the government has allocated £33 million for new or enhanced ticket gates in high-fare-dodging areas and closed a loophole that allowed passengers to falsely claim refunds.
Former HSBC executive Joseph Molloy, who used donutting to commute between Orpington and London Bridge 740 times, saving £5,911 over 11 months, received a suspended sentence. Rail commentator Christian Wolmar notes that the shift to digital ticketing has opened new avenues for fraud, but emphasizes that tackling this issue is difficult due to the lack of guards at every stop.
Instead, digital analysis and the use of a new app that calculates ticket fares based on a user's phone location are being explored as potential solutions.
The transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, emphasizes the illegality and selfishness of fare evasion, highlighting its negative impact on all rail passengers. The clampdown on fare cheats is welcomed by passengers, who express frustration with the increasing fare increases and fare evasion.
Written by urgent.news from Guardian Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
