Find out about the measures we put in place to eliminate ticketless travel
Everyone travelling on the Merseyrail network is expected to pay the correct fare for their journey and be respectful of other passengers and members of staff. The vast majority of our passengers do just that.
Our revenue protection policy is in place to eliminate ticketless travel, making it fair for everyone.
In addition to fare evasion, we have zero tolerance to anti-social behaviour towards our passengers and members of staff. Any behaviour that causes discomfort, distress or injury is unacceptable and may result in a prosecution.
On this page you will find information on enforceable offences, prosecution criteria, policy details and frequently asked questions.
Enforceable Offences
- Entering any train for the purpose of travelling on the railway without a valid ticket.
- Failing to hand over a ticket for inspection and verification when asked to do so by an authorised person.
- Travelling on the railway without previously having paid the correct fare and with the intention to avoid payment.
- Having failed to pay the fare, giving a false name and/or address to an authorised person.
- Being a person liable to pay a penalty fare did fail, at the time, and in response to an authorised officer did give a false name and/or address.
- Presenting an altered or counterfeit ticket(s) or knowingly using any ticket which has been altered / forged in any way.
- Smoking or carrying any lit item on any part of the railway.
- Any person discovered by an authorised person to have their foot/feet on a train seat/seat structure.
- Any person believed by an authorised person to be unfit to be on the railway due to a state of intoxication.
- Use of any threatening, abusive, obscene or offensive language on the railway.
- Behaving in a disorderly, indecent or offensive manner on the railway.
- Any other unacceptable behaviour such as soiling any part of the railway, damaging or detaching any part of the railway, spitting, dropping litter, molesting or wilfully interfering with the comfort or convenience of any person on the railway.
- Any other travel offence in contravention of the Railway Byelaws 2014.
- Penalty fares in accordance with the Railways Act 2005 where the offender has failed to pay a penalty fare due within the requisite time scales.
- E-scooters are not permitted on Merseyrail stations and trains. This does not affect users of mobility scooters, electric mobility aids and E-bikes. merseyrail.org
The above list is not exhaustive and Merseyrail may prosecute other offences relevant or incidental to fare evasion and fraud, criminal damage, anti-social behaviour or assault on employees, outside of the list of offences set out in this policy.
Prosecutions
We recognise that a conviction in the court is a serious matter which could have ramifications in both your personal and working life. We will ensure that all the evidence and mitigating factors are investigated and considered before any such action is taken. If the offence is deemed very serious it may be passed to the British Transport Police to investigate and possibly prosecute.