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Taller ticket barriers will be installed at a number of railway stations in and around London as part of a government crackdown on fare evasion.
The move follows a series of measures introduced over the past year to tackle the growing issue, including increased ticket inspections and higher penalty fares.
Now, ministers are turning to new physical barriers designed to make it harder for passengers to avoid paying their fares.
The upgrades form part of a £33.4 million funding package that will be rolled out across England by six train operators.
New barriers feature taller paddle doors intended to prevent people from jumping over the gates, while additional waist-high barriers similar to those used on the London Underground will also be installed, the Department for Transport (DfT) said.
It comes as new taller paddle-style ticket barriers have been installed at High Wycombe railway station Chiltern Railways.
The new barriers include taller paddle doors to make it harder for passengers to jump over or dive underneath, as well as a breakthrough-resistant mechanism to make it more difficult to force the gates open.
New head-height barriers that have been installed at High Wycombe station Chiltern RailwaysIt is unclear if this is the exact design that will be installed with the new multi-million pound funding from the DfT, but the new gates are expected to be be similar in size.
Ticket gates that are between 4.5 (1.37m) and 6ft (1.8 metres) tall will be installed, as part of the roll-out, the Telegraph reported.
The DfT estimates fare evasion puts up to £400 million in rail revenue at risk each year – money which could otherwise be invested in maintaining the network, improving onboard Wi-Fi and upgrading rolling stock.
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The new barriers will be installed at Elephant & Castle, Worthing, Gipsy Hill, Royston and Stevenage stations, all of which are served by Thameslink.
New barriers will be installed at railway stations in a crackdown on fare evadersPARail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said: “Fare evasion is not a victimless crime - it undermines confidence in the railway and means passengers lose out on millions in revenue which should be invested to improve services for everyone.
“By stopping fare dodgers before they reach the platform, we’re protecting taxpayer cash, supporting investment in the network and ensuring the railway works better for the millions of passengers who do the right thing every day by paying their way.
“As we deliver significant reform across our railways in the lead up to Great British Railways, we are creating a truly joined up railway which is more accountable and better equipped to deliver the reliable, modern railway passengers deserve, to create jobs, growth and homes.”
Other operators which will benefit from the funding include Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway, Greater Anglia, TransPennine Express and West Midlands Trains.
Last year, the Standard reported that around 400,000 journeys on a typical weekday are evaded across the TfL network, costing the body an estimated £200 million a year in income.
TfL has erected posters at Tube stations warning passengers to tap in or face the consequencesRoss LydallPrevious figures published by TfL revealed that the evasion rate has risen year on year.
Just over 69,000 fines were handed out in the year to the end of March - an annual increase of nine per cent, TfL figures show.
The penalty fares are £100, but reduced to £50 if paid within 21 days.
TfL said 3.5 per cent of passengers across its network evade fares, which is “significantly lower than many cities globally”, but it is aiming to slash the figure to 1.5 per cent by 2030/31.
TfL has not been mentioned in the DfT’s latest round of funding for ticket barriers.
But, ministers say there is potential for further rollout across the UK in the future.
TfL has said it will consider introducing new ticket barriers across the network and it is working with other transport authorities around the world to assess the impact these have on tackling fare evasion.
A TfL spokesperson said: “We continually review measures to tackle fare evasion across our network and, as part of our long-term investment, will consider future infrastructure upgrades where they are appropriate and effective.
“This includes reviewing new gateline solutions across the TfL network.
“We are currently working with other transport authorities around the world to assess the impact of new gateline technologies.
“We remain focused on reducing fare evasion through a combination of enforcement, technology and infrastructure improvements.”
The new ticket gates will be installed by mid-2028, with the first phase of the rollout to happen in 2027.