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Watchdog reveals
innocent passengers caught in ticket crackdown.
PASSENGERS using Britain's
rail network face very inconsistent treatment when travelling
without a 'valid' ticket a new report from Passenger Focus reveals
today. Passengers who make an innocent mistake can find themselves
facing a hefty bill, or in some of the worst cases, a criminal
prosecution.
Passenger Focus has been contacted by hundreds of passengers who
have faced very unfair treatment as a result of an inconsistent
application of complex rules. In some cases individual staff deal
with situations well, but sometimes the consequences can be severe
with payment of large 'fines' and threats of criminal prosecution.
Anthony Smith, Passenger Focus, chief executive said:- "No one
is in favour of fare dodgers. However, passengers deserve a fair
hearing. If they have forgotten their railcard, lost one of their
tickets but have proof of purchase or have been unable to pick up
booked tickets they should be given a second chance. Passengers,
when boarding a train, are entering a minefield of rules and
regulations, some dating back to Victorian times. any form of privatised justice like this
must be administered according to clear guidelines, be accountable,
give passengers a fair hearing and not assume everyone is guilty.
Train companies cannot continue to treat some of their customers
like this 'one strike and you are out' is simply not fair."
Rail Minister Norman Baker said:- "Passengers have a right for
the rules to be consistently applied across all operators. It is
worrying if Passenger Focus has found that this is not case. It is
in the interests of Train Operating Companies that passengers are
confident in what they are buying ."
Passenger Focus wants to see:-
► the introduction of a code of practice for non Penalty Fare areas
which sets out clear and consistent guidelines on how passengers who
board without a 'valid' ticket should be dealt with. This should
include clear rules on how to deal with passengers with
disabilities, cases where a passenger has a ticket but has missed a
booked train and a formal right of appeal.
► passengers should only face criminal prosecution with proof of
intent to defraud.
► greater flexibility when a passenger can prove they bought a valid
ticket, but cannot produce the ticket (or all of them) when asked.
► greater transparency on how many penalties are issued, for what
and how many appeals are upheld or overturned.
The Association of Train Operating Companies has already undertaken
to co-ordinate the drawing up of national guidelines to ensure more
consistent treatment of passengers; this move is very welcome. In
order to make those guidelines as effective as possible Passenger
Focus is asking passengers to tell their stories, good and bad,
about how they were dealt with when found without a 'valid' ticket.
Please
email us your views to are newsroom on these two news
topics or any other in this edition! |
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Private tenants
pay more in energy than homeowners
PRIVATE tenants across the
North West are more likely to incur higher energy bills than
homeowners, RICS reveals. The new report into how dwelling
types and lifestyle in England can affect energy expenditure reveals
that those renting in the private sector pay on average £31 more
every year than homeowners and £90 more than tenants living in
social housing.
Those who own their own property are more likely to effectively
insulate and modernise heating facilities than private landlords,
and consequentially see a direct impact on their energy use and
spend. However, a lack of incentives for private landlords to
insulate their rental properties and update heating equipment is
thought to result in higher bills for their tenants.
Homes with an electric heater can pay between £196 to £898 more a
year than households with gas central heating and is the single
highest contributing factor to energy expenditure.
If the Green Deal does launch in autumn, as planned, landlords will
soon be obliged to ensure their properties are brought up to a
minimum energy efficiency standard rating. However, RICS believes it
is vital that tenants understand the procedures involved and the
impact they will have on their energy bills.
RICS North West spokesperson, John Halman of Gascoigne Halman estate
agents said:- "Those renting privately should expect the same
standards in insulation and heating as homeowners and those in
social housing. More needs to be done to ensure private rental
property is fit for purpose and energy efficient. The Green Deal
should effectively address this at a time when tenants across the
country are struggling with high fuel bills and increasing rents."
Geoff White, RICS Policy Manager (North & Midlands) adds:-
"If the Green Deal does come into effect, it will provide a new way
of financing energy efficiency improvements but it is vital that
tenants understand exactly what measures are being taken, why, and
what the impact on any measures will have on their energy bills. A
mandatory Home Condition Report before the installation of all Green
Deal measures would be a low-cost way of providing the consumer with
a clear understanding of this."
The report, The changing effects on domestic energy expenditure from
housing characteristics and the recent rapid energy price movements,
also reveals that on average, those living in the suburbs are also
spending more on energy than their urban neighbours; albeit by
£9.11 annually.
It also reveals how you pay your energy bills can impact how much
you spend; with homes that use prepay meters spending £91 more than
households who pay for their energy by direct debit, hitting those
that are more susceptible to fuel poverty the hardest.
Across the country, the South West has the lowest energy
expenditure, with homes in the North West, West Midlands, Yorkshire
and Humberside spending the most to fuel their homes. A cooler
climate in the North and West of England is thought to be
responsible for the increase in spend; with households spending
more to heat their homes. |
