Young fare-dodgers hauled before court

Metrolink Tram

A SPECIAL youth court has been held to clamp down on under-18s caught fare-dodging on the Metrolink network.

Organised by operator Metrolink RATP Dev Ltd, the hearing was held at Bury Magistrates' Court and resulted in 16 youths from the Oldham area being fined a total of £2,629.

The youths were taken to court after failing to pay a standard fare charge, which is issued to anyone caught travelling on the network without a valid ticket.

Greater Manchester's Travelsafe Unit (TSU) has worked with Metrolink RATP Dev Ltd to carry out a number of proactive operations targeting fare-dodging on the network.

The operations follow on from a TSU crackdown on unpaid fines in September this year, which resulted in nine arrests.

Since the unit was established 18 months ago, uniformed TSU officers have also been proactively visiting schools to educate youngsters on the dangers, impacts and consequences of crime, anti-social behaviour and fare evasion on public transport.

The unit has also taken part in a number of recent Crucial Crew events, delivering vital safety and security information to thousands of children.

TfGM Metrolink director, Peter Cushing, said: "Tackling fare evasion is extremely important, particularly as it sometimes goes hand-in-hand with other types of anti-social behaviour.

"Progressing these cases to court is not a decision that has been taken lightly, but we need to challenge the mind-set among some people that it is acceptable to try and ride the tram for free, particularly those who fail to engage with us or that fail to pay if caught fare dodging.

"It is a vital responsibility of TfGM as the owner of Metrolink, Metrolink RATP Dev Ltd as the operator and the TSU to change the behaviours and attitudes of these young people, to prevent them from committing further offences in the future and facing more severe punishments."

Carla Taylor, revenue recovery manager at Metrolink RATP Dev, said: "Our figures over the past 12 months show young people under the age of 18 are responsible for 20 per cent of all fare evasion. Of that amount, 64 per cent are aged between 16 and 17 which is what prompted us to tackle the issue head on among this age group.

"Taking anyone to court, especially a young person, is not a priority for us and we view it as a last resort."