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Last updated: 13:06

Revenue protection policy

Our aim is to be clear and transparent with customers in everything we do. This short guide sets out our revenue protection policies so you can be sure we deal with all of our customers fairly and consistently.

Thameslink is committed to:

  • Every passenger paying for their journey
  • Making it easy to buy a ticket
  • Offering all our passengers a safe, reliable and pleasant journey
  • Reducing and preventing fare evasion on our services

We will be vigorous, effective and consistent in all our dealings with fare evasion and revenue protection activity. We use relevant legislation and powers to ensure that we protect the interest of all our fare paying passengers.

We will make it clear to passengers what their responsibilities are when travelling with us, how to get the correct ticket for their journey and if they do not, we will make it clear what will happen and when.

Thameslink will:

  • Operate a penalty fares scheme on its trains and at all of its stations
  • Prosecute criminal fare evasion
  • Prosecute offences under the Railway Byelaws
  • Comply with the Data Protection Act
  • Seek financial compensation for costs and damages incurred
Tickets

All persons travelling with Thameslink need to be in possession of a valid ticket or authority to travel for their journey before they travel.

Full details of a passenger’s responsibility to purchase a ticket are contained within the National Rail Conditions of Travel.

NRCoT can be downloaded at www.nationalrail.co.uk.

All tickets are issued subject to restrictions and conditions. When purchasing a ticket from Thameslink, we will explain the restrictions that ticket is subject to:

  • Verbally at the time of purchase if bought at a ticket office
  • In the conditions at the time of purchase if bought online
  • In the conditions at the time of purchase if bought from a Ticket Vending Machine
Penalty fares

Thameslink operates a penalty fares scheme on all of its services and at all of its stations. Details of the penalty fares scheme can be found here.

Additionally Thameslink will continually work to improve passenger understanding of the penalty fares scheme and its application. This will include a commitment to make sure:

  • Passengers understand what they need to do about a penalty fare
  • How they can appeal against a penalty fare
  • What the timescales are surrounding a penalty fare
  • Who to contact concerning a penalty fare
Ticket irregularity reports

Some staff who do not issue penalty fares may complete a ticket irregularity report. We will make it clear to persons reported for such offences that the facts will be reported in accordance with our processes.

If a ticket irregularity report is issued, we will advise:

  • What the passenger needs to do
  • That they will be contacted regarding the ticket irregularity report
Prosecution

Thameslink will privately prosecute, in a court of law, offences reported by staff. We will make it clear to persons reported for such offences that the facts will be reported.

If a passenger is reported to our prosecutions department, we will advise:

  • What the passenger needs to do
  • That they will be contacted regarding the report
For more information on prosecutions please read our FAQs
Staff

Staff will be trained to exercise both the power extended to them and any discretion that is available to them under the licences they hold.

Discretion given to persons authorised to issue penalty fares can be found within the scheme and contains details including:

  • When a notice can be issued
  • To whom a notice can be issued
  • When a notice may not be issued
  • Treatment of vulnerable groups
  • Staff training
  • Staff licensing

Staff will be trained in the application of:

  • National Rail Conditions of Travel
  • The Railway Byelaws
  • Restrictions and Conditions of tickets
  • Police and Criminal Evidence Act
  • Any other applicable powers

Some staff are bestowed powers under the Railway Safety Accreditation Scheme (RSAS).

Details of this can be found at www.btp.police.uk.

Use of passenger personal information
Where personal data is recorded it will be in compliance with the relevant legislation. Details can be found here.