Train firm Northern cracks down on season ticket sharing fare evaders

Northern has made it more difficult for fraudsters to cheat ticket checks on its trains in a scam the West Yorkshire operator says would have been akin to sharing passwords on the popular movie and TV subscription service, Netflix.
By Shawna Healey
Published 14th Feb 2023, 11:30 BST
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By introducing new Barcode Season Tickets, which ‘live’ within the Northern app and update repeatedly throughout the day, they have stopped fare evaders from being able to ‘screenshot and share’ season tickets for others to use.

Customers are also required to upload a profile photograph when purchasing a Barcode Season Ticket, which displays alongside the barcode within the app and forms part of the ticket inspection.

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Barcode Season Tickets offer up to 33 per cent off the regular cost of commuting between two stations on the Northern network and are available to adult customers as weekly or monthly options.

Northern has cracked down on people who who screenshot and share season rail tickets to evade paying a faire.Northern has cracked down on people who who screenshot and share season rail tickets to evade paying a faire.
Northern has cracked down on people who who screenshot and share season rail tickets to evade paying a faire.

Mark Powles, commercial and customer director at Northern, said: “Our season tickets are no different to people’s gym memberships, store loyalty cards or indeed their Netflix account - they’re designed for use by the person whose name is on the bill.

“Whilst upwards of 95 per cent of the journeys made on our network are by customers who do the right thing and buy a ticket before they travel – for the remaining 5 per cent that are made by people who attempt to travel without paying their way, switching these particular sales to Barcode Season Tickets will ensure only the device that made the purchase is able to satisfy checks by our conductors and ticket gatelines.”

For customers travelling less frequently, Northern offers ‘Flexi Season Tickets’ which offer any eight days travel in a 28-day window.

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For the benefit of all customers, Northern has invested in the largest network of digital ticket infrastructure of any train operator in the country, making it easier than ever to buy a ticket via their app, website or one of more than 600 ticket machines across the network.

Around 5 per cent of Northern's customers try not to pay their way on the rails.Around 5 per cent of Northern's customers try not to pay their way on the rails.
Around 5 per cent of Northern's customers try not to pay their way on the rails.

Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with nearly 2,500 services a day to more than 500 stations across West Yorkshire and the North of England .

For more information and details on how to buy a Barcode Season Ticket, please visit: www.northernrailway.co.uk/tickets/barcode-season-tickets.

Related topics:West YorkshireNetflixSeason ticketsTickets