ScotRail's latest bid to crack down on fare dodgers is now in full effect, with passengers who board trains without tickets facing a minimum £10 charge. The move aims to curb anti-social behaviour and free up more funds for service improvements, but has sparked concerns over the impact on vulnerable groups.
The new policy targets those who could have bought a ticket beforehand, but chose not to, with independent analysis revealing many passengers travelling without a valid ticket would have been better off paying upfront. This means that on most shorter journeys, the minimum fare will exceed the standard ticket price, while longer journeys will be affected by restrictions on discounted rail travel.
Passengers can still buy tickets at stations, using self-service machines or through the ScotRail app, with digital tickets requiring activation before boarding to be valid. Ticket offices and kiosks on station platforms will remain open, but customers without a ticket may face the minimum fare upon arrival at their destination if they could have bought one beforehand.
ScotRail insists the £10 charge is not a penalty or fine, but rather the fare that would have been paid had the passenger purchased a ticket in advance. However, concerns remain about the potential impact on passengers with registered disabilities who may struggle to use ticket machines or access offices.