East Midlands Railway (EMR) has recovered more than £600,000 from fining or taking to court fraudulent travellers in the past ten months - helping reduce costs for taxpayers. 

From January 1 to November 13, its revenue protection officers and onboard staff have issued 11,510 notices and successfully prosecuted 2,033 fare evaders through the courts - returning a combined total of £684,667. 

The fines and prosecutions were made for a number of reasons, including travelling without a valid ticket, fraudulently travelling on a child's ticket, and travelling beyond the destination of their ticket. 

People were only pursued through the courts after they travelled without a ticket and refused to pay for their journey and the corresponding fine. 

Dave Meredith, Customer Services Director at East Midlands Railway, said: "The vast majority of our customers always buy a ticket, and understand that for the railway to successfully operate, improve, and secure investment, fares need to be paid for. 

"Sadly though, there are a minority of determined people who think they can get away without buying ticket.

"Simply put, fare evasion is a criminal offence, and our revenue protection teams and fraud team are working everyday to catch people trying to evade paying for their journey."

More information concerning East Midlands Railway's fare policies can be found on its website.

This comes as a u-turn on ticket office closures looks set to keep travel 'on track' for local rail users.

Following months of frustration about the closure of offices ticket offices across the country look set to remain open or be reinstated, with residents and officials dubbing the closure irresponsible, adding that it limited disabled or more vulnerable users.

Rutland's MP campaigned to install a ticket machine at Oakham Station. Image credit: Alicia Kearns MP.

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