Anyone found to be travelling on the Tyne and Wear Metro without a ticket will be liable to a penalty fare of up to £100 from January 2023. This is a nationwide increase for the national penalty fare regime on the rail network of which the Metro is included.
The penalty fare is currently set as £20 but the Department for Transport have recently announced this increase as part of a new campaign to clampdown on ticketless travel. If paid within 21 days the amount due will be reduced to £50.
Huw Lewis, Nexus Customer Services Director, said: “The Government is raising the penalty fare from £20 to £100, or £50 if paid within 21 days, and this change will automatically apply to Metro. Metro is part of the Government’s national penalty fare regime covering train companies across the whole country. This is the first change since 2005 and reflects feedback from customers who want to see a strong deterrent against fraud.
“The Government consulted the whole rail industry and Nexus was among those keen to see an increase, because customers tell us they want tougher penalties for those who decide not to pay their fare. The simple message for Metro customers is to pay your fare every time you travel.”
Currently fare evasion on the Metro is estimated to cost Nexus £1 million a year in revenue.