Selling tickets on penalty fares trains
4.34 The basic principle of any penalty fares scheme is that passengers must buy their tickets before they get on their train. If passengers find that they can buy their ticket on the train from the conductor or guard, it undermines this message. For this reason, we will not allow tickets to be sold on penalty fares trains unless either:
a) the on-train staff are trained as, and act as, authorised collectors, so they can charge a penalty fare to any passenger who is liable for one; or
b) the on-train staff issue a printed penalty fares warning, as well as a ticket, to any passenger who is liable to a penalty fare, and draw the passenger’s attention to the warning.
In the case of (b), on-train staff must be given suitable training (and, when necessary, refresher training) in how the penalty fares scheme works, and how to issue these penalty fares warnings. A system must also be in place to make sure that on-train staff use the warnings properly.
...
5.17 The description of the [Penalty Fares] scheme should normally say one of the following.
a) The operator does not intend to train its on-train staff as authorised collectors. However, staff who are not trained as authorised collectors will not be allowed to sell tickets on board penalty fares trains unless they are accompanied by an authorised collector.
b) The operator will train its on-train staff as authorised collectors. Any staff who are not trained as authorised collectors will not be allowed to sell tickets on board penalty fares trains unless they are accompanied by an authorised collector.
c) The operator does not intend to train on-train staff as authorised collectors. On-train staff will check and sell tickets on board penalty fares trains, but will give a printed penalty fares warning to any passenger who is liable to a penalty fare, and draw that passenger’s attention to the warning.
5.18 In the case of penalty fares schemes which use the printed warnings described in c above, the following information must also be provided.
• The wording and a description of the printed warning, and details of how it will be issued.
• Details of the training which on-train staff will receive about the principles of the penalty fares scheme and how to use the printed penalty fares warning.
• Details of ‘refresher’ training which on-train staff will receive and how often it will be given.
• Details of the processes and procedures which the operator will use to make sure that each member of on-train staff issues the penalty fares warnings properly.