New digital season tickets that East Midlands Railway (EMR) has recently introduced will help to prevent fare evasion as they are more difficult for users to copy by taking a screenshot and fraudulently sharing tickets.

The new tickets, known as ‘s-tickets’, are stored on customers’ mobile phones and have a barcode that hinders fraudsters’ attempts to travel without a valid ticket. They are updated throughout the day, which means they are time-limited, cannot be copied or transferred between devices, and at the end of the day will save tax[ayers’ money.

Before using the new s-tickets, customers are required to upload a profile photograph of themselves, which is displayed next to the barcode within the app and are required to be displayed as part of the ticket inspection process.

S-tickets are available to adult customers as weekly or monthly options and can be used in a matter of minutes soon after purchase. Customers no longer need to wait to top up, queue at a station, or wait for tickets to arrive in the post.

Everything that season ticket customers need is stored on the East Midlands Railway app, which avoids the need to carry a paper ticket and photo card.

Further information about s-tickets and how to purchase them are available on East Midlands Railwa’s website at https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/s-tickets

Neil Grabham, Customer Services Director at East Midlands Railways, said: “The vast majority of our customers always buy a ticket, and they understand that for the railway to successfully operate, improve, and secure investment, fares need to be paid for.

“Sadly though, there are a minority of determined people who always look to evade paying or look for ways to work the system.

“The recent introduction of s-tickets has closed another loophole for these fraudsters and ultimately means more of taxpayers money will be captured which could be reinvested back into the railways.”