Falkirk passengers warned not to chance it as ScotRail cracks down on ticket fraud

The train operator is creating 42 new revenue protection officer roles as it attempts to reduce ticket fraud – which currently costs around £2million per year in Scotland. 

A pilot scheme using new ticket validation machines has also been taking place over the last few weeks at stations including Edinburgh Waverley, Glasgow Central, Glasgow Queen Street, Croy, High Street, Rutherglen, and Paisley Canal. 

The devices are designed to read mobile tickets and barcoded tickets as passengers pass through the ticket gates. Tickets are scanned and passengers who have paid the correct fare will pass through the gates as normal.  

The ticket validation devices are designed to flag up potentially invalid tickets. Examples of this include – using a ticket which is not valid for a particular journey and an 

an adult customer using a child ticket. 

Revenue Protection Officers will check tickets that are flagged and passengers found travelling with an invalid ticket will have their details taken and the correct fare charged on all discounts claimed.

Additionally, they may be further investigated and referred to the British Transport Police where appropriate. 

Phil Campbell, ScotRail Head of Customer Operations, said:  "Tackling ticket fraud has always been a priority for ScotRail. It’s a small minority of passengers who

deliberately try to avoid paying the proper fare but it’s honest, fare-paying passengers who bear the burden of lost investment in Scotland’s Railway. 

“We are determined to drive down ticketless travel, making the rail network a safer and more secure environment.”