I agree with you sandman, I think they should have to prove your intent not to pay with the current ticket issuing systems being so flawed.

I have to say there's once or twice I haven't paid for a ticket, but that is not because I'm in any way a fare dodger, and I would condemn anyone who does. But I've caught the train from Stratford to Birmingham on late services before, and the ticket office has been closed, and I missed all the ticket collectors due to the service chaning half way there.

I assume this was down to bad planning, but the point is, I would have paid if I could!

Fare dodgers go to great lengths to avoid paying to travel on the trains including abusing the guards for expecting them to pay. There are others who claim all sorts of things for only having a ticket for one stop when, clearly, they are going much further. They are on a par with the same types of people who think it is ok, for whatever reason and their right to flytip on private property without being challenged by the property owner.

Central Trains names and shames people who travelled in the West Midlands in September without tickets.

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