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[Trivia] Lines with the least fare evasion

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Gathursty

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Didn't seem to fit with the fares/dispute query sections.

Which lines have a reputation for the least fare evasion/non-payment of fares/irregularities with tickets/railcard irregularities?

Spurred on by a daydream in which I didn't have a ticket on a full carriage somewhere in the middle of the Heart of Wales Line and everyone started to turn around and look at me frowning.
 
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Lampshade

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I imagine some rural branch line e.g. Looe/Newquay where there is time to check tickets between stops yet trains are not usually rammed.
 
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Parallel

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Lampshade said:
I imagine some rural branch line e.g. Looe/Newquay where there is time to check tickets between stops yet trains are not usually rammed.
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Two of the four separate occasions I’ve used the Looe Valley Line, the guard has been unable to sell tickets due to problems with their machine. Not technically fare evasion but wouldn’t surprise me if there were a fair amount of uncollected fares on the route.

Also, some rural lines have poor mobile/data connectivity, which means in some cases, tickets can not be issued.

In terms of fare evasion, it would probably be a branch line with no/few ticket issuing facilities (and perhaps no penalty fare scheme) e.g the Tarka line, as it would be very difficult to prove someone as fare evading.
 
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craigybagel

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Gathursty said:
Didn't seem to fit with the fares/dispute query sections.

Which lines have a reputation for the least fare evasion/non-payment of fares/irregularities with tickets/railcard irregularities?

Spurred on by a daydream in which I didn't have a ticket on a full carriage somewhere in the middle of the Heart of Wales Line and everyone started to turn around and look at me frowning.
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Whilst I'd like to think the threat of being thrown off down there where there won't be another train for several hours is quite a deterrent anyway, the truth is that in 5 years of working that line I've never had a single person try and avoid their fare, to the best of my knowledge. It's one of the reasons why it's lovely going down there, in comparison to some of the hotspots we have to deal with on our route card.
 
Kite159

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53703 said:
Stourbridge Town to Stourbridge Junc??
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I've been on a couple services where the tickets haven't been checked due to the little unit being too busy or the guard was talking to someone about social bits. Probably has its fair share of chancers
 
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camflyer

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I can't remember the last time I had my ticket checked between London (Kings Cross and Liverpool Street) and Cambridge as there are ticket barriers on both ends so I suspect that evasion is very low.

On the other hand it is very easy to ride between barrier-less stations when there is a busy service as there isn't time for the guard to go down the whole train.
 
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6Gman

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craigybagel said:
Whilst I'd like to think the threat of being thrown off down there where there won't be another train for several hours is quite a deterrent anyway, the truth is that in 5 years of working that line I've never had a single person try and avoid their fare, to the best of my knowledge. It's one of the reasons why it's lovely going down there, in comparison to some of the hotspots we have to deal with on our route card.
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I imagine it beats a late Saturday New St - Wolves - Shrewsbury ! :D
 
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Ianno87

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camflyer said:
I can't remember the last time I had my ticket checked between London (LGX and LST) and Cambridge as there are ticket barriers on both ends so I suspect that evasion is very low.

On the other hand it is very easy to ride between barrier-less stations when there is a busy service as there isn't time for the guard to go down the whole train.
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Before Cambridge got barriers, I'm told (anecdotally) they did an RPI block one evening peak. And caught precisely nobody without a ticket.
 
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DanTrain

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Well it won't be on Northern. If you're caught on Northern (I always buy a ticket, for the avoidance of doubt!) you can just feign the 'I thought I could buy one onboard' and the guard will sell it! My guess would be somewhere with barriers at both end, probably on a commuter line into London (not Oyster though as some of those are only tap in/out),
 
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swt class 450

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Perhaps the Heart Of Wales line could be one of the lowest. I can't imagine that there are many people on this line who fare evade. I certainly haven't seen any.
 
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craigybagel

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user1234 said:
Perhaps the Heart Of Wales line could be one of the lowest. I can't imagine that there are many people on this line who fare evade. I certainly haven't seen any.
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The majority of passengers at this time of year don't even have to pay anyway - although they are still issued free tickets.
 
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sw1ller

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I cover 9 separate routes and I’d say they’re all as bad as each other for fare evasion. My initial thought was something like a non stop Crewe/Warrington to London. But it’s not the point of the thread, that’s a single journey, not the whole line.
 
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ChiefPlanner

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Cletus said:
I would imagine the HS1 line into St Pancras gets very little.
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But where it is used for local journeys between say Gravesend - Ramsgate , the "do not believe you have to pay mentality" applies , but the Train Managers are very diligent in dealing with it , my last 3 journeys had this issue. Well dealt with.
 
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