A bid to reduce fraudulent rail travel has been launched by the government, which is providing £33 million for more and better ticket gates at some stations currently run by six operators.

It is estimated that travel cheats are costing the railway industry between £300 million and £400 million a year, and some of the new gates will be taller to stop barrier jumping.

The operators in the new scheme will be Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway, Greater Anglia, Thameslink (Southern and Great Northern), TransPennine Express and West Midlands Trains.

The additional gates are set to be installed in 2027 and 2028, and more could follow.

Rail minister Lord Peter Hendy said: ‘Fare evasion is not a victimless crime – it undermines confidence in the railway and means passengers lose out on millions in revenue which should be invested to improve services for everyone.

‘By stopping fare dodgers before they reach the platform, we’re protecting taxpayer cash, supporting investment in the network and ensuring the railway works better for the millions of passengers who do the right thing every day by paying their way.’

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