Crackdown on unpaid Metrolink fines

Travelsafe Unit crack down results in nine arrests

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A crackdown on unpaid Metrolink fines has resulted in seven people arrested in connection with £15,089 of unpaid fines and a further two suspects surrendered themselves to court over £1,531 of unpaid fines.

The money recouped will be re-invested into the Metrolink network.

Further days of action to target other fare evaders who have failed to pay fines after being caught travelling without a ticket are planned.

Transport for Greater Manchester’s (TfGM) Customer Operations Director, Stephen Rhodes, said: “In its first 17 months of operation, the TSU has already delivered many successes, from school engagement programmes, drug seizures and notable arrests to operations addressing fare evasion such as this.

“The success of this operation shows that fare dodging is something we take extremely seriously and we will be taking further action to clampdown on it over the coming months.

“The message is clear – don’t take the risk of travelling without a ticket, you will get caught and it’s simply not worth it.”

The TSU comprises a team of police constables, special constables and security personnel.
Led by TfGM and Greater Manchester Police (GMP), the scheme allows contributing operators – Metrolink RATP Dev Ltd (MRDL), First Manchester and Stagecoach – to share intelligence as well as crime and antisocial behaviour data.

The scheme has been funded for three years but will be subject to formal annual reviews and regular scrutiny by a strategy group made up of members from organisations involved.