Northern’s revenue enforcement teams were out and about on trains and at intermediary stations on the route via Micklefield and saw a great deal of success with over 100 penalty notices given alongside 70 travel incident reports which will see further investigation carried out ahead of possibly taking further legal action.

The project also saw the enforcement team speak to over 10,000 passengers.

The journey between the cities which are in West and North Yorkshire takes anywhere between 30 and 75 minutes dependent on stopping points which can be as little as one or as many as 12 stops.

Mark Powles, customer and commercial director at Northern, said: “Everyone has a duty to buy a ticket before they travel – and I hope this spotlight on the Leeds to York route will act as a deterrent to those who feel the rules don’t apply to them.

“Northern is making it easier than ever to buy a ticket for travel by investing in the largest network of digital ticket infrastructure of any train operator in the country. Customers can buy tickets from our app, the website, ticket offices or one of more than 600 ticket machines across the network. There really is no excuse.”

Northern services between Leeds and York which call at Cross Gates, Garforth, East Garforth, Micklefield, Church Fenton and Ulleskelf were part of the ‘period of action’.

The rail operator also saw an extremely successful clamp down on fare evasion between Doncaster and York earlier this year. 

Those evading payment of fares will be prosecuted under the provisions of the Regulation of Railways Act 1889 and the Railway Byelaws made pursuant to the Transport Act 2000.