South Western Railway (SWR) has initiated a significant effort to combat 'short-faring', a form of fare evasion where passengers purchase tickets for only a portion of their actual journey. The company has identified widespread misuse of electronic tickets, particularly on the four-minute route between Vauxhall and London Waterloo.
SWR states that up to 95 per cent of barcode tickets purchased for the Vauxhall to Waterloo journey were being used fraudulently. These cheaper tickets are often used to open barriers at London Waterloo by passengers who have travelled from more distant locations on SWR's network.
In response, SWR has deployed additional revenue protection staff at Vauxhall. These staff are responsible for scanning all electronic tickets upon entry to the station. This measure aims to help staff at London Waterloo identify fare dodgers, as an unscanned electronic ticket from Vauxhall indicates a passenger has travelled from further afield.
Since June, SWR's trial has identified 153 'short-faring' offences, a notable increase from seven during the same period last year. Passengers found without the correct train ticket are subject to a £100 Penalty Fare, which is halved if paid within 21 days, and must buy a single ticket for their journey. Repeat offenders may face prosecution.