From next Monday, 4 March, Transport for Wales will introduce a Penalty Fare scheme on the South Wales Mainline in an attempt to tackle an estimated £10m in lost revenue each year through fare evasion and fraud.

There will be an initial three-week period during which authorised Revenue Protection Officers will give guidance to anyone travelling without a valid ticket or permit.

Once the initial three-week period has expired, from Monday 25 March anyone found to be travelling without a valid ticket or permit for their journey will be given a £20 Penalty Fare or twice the full fare, whichever is the greater amount.

Penalty fares will apply on all Transport for Wales (TfW) services between Severn Tunnel Junction in East Wales and Carmarthen in West Wales.

This is the second Penalty Fares scheme that Transport for Wales has introduced on the Wales and Borders network, the previous one being between Shrewsbury and Birmingham.

Penalty fares in other areas

The Penalty Fares scheme will be introduced on the rest of the Transport for Wales network over the coming months.

Authorised Revenue Protection Officers will be responsible for issuing Penalty Fares. They have the authority to check tickets and issue Penalty Fare Notices to passengers who are found without a valid ticket or permit to travel.

They can be easily identified as they will always wear uniforms and carry identification badges.

For those passengers who cannot immediately pay a Penalty Fare, or who have committed a more serious offence such as using a forged or altered ticket, Revenue Protection Officers can issue Unpaid Fare Notices (UFNs).

Further information about the Penalty Fares scheme can be found by clicking here to visit the TfW website.

Alexia Course, Chief Commercial Officer at TfW, said: “The vast majority of customers pay the correct fares and this revenue is vital for us as we continue to transform the Wales and Borders network with £800m of brand-new trains and the delivery of the South Wales Metro.

“Unfortunately, there are a minority who don’t pay their fare or use fraudulent activity to try and avoid paying the correct amount for their journey. Not only is this unfair on their fellow passengers, but it also costs TfW millions each year in lost revenue.

“TfW is a not-for-profit organisation with no shareholders, and all revenue is used to fund the running of the services and future improvements. By reducing the money we lose through fare evasion and fraud, we can also reduce the subsidy required from Welsh Government, which is funded by the taxpayer.

“We will be using the initial three-week period to educate customers about the new scheme and we encourage all passengers to buy before they board using the TfW website, award-winning app or by using the best value Pay As You Go fares, where available.”