The Government has announced that Manchester Piccadilly railway station will be fitted with new higher ticket barriers as part of a £33.4 million initiative to tackle fare dodgers. The funding, allocated to operator TransPennine Express, aims to prevent passengers from jumping over gates and reduce revenue loss from ticketless travel.
Government Names 18 Fare Dodger Hotspots
The Department for Transport (DfT) identified Manchester Piccadilly as one of 18 'hotspots' across the UK where new barriers will be installed. The investment will fund taller gates to stop people vaulting over them, as well as additional standard waist-high gates. The Rail Delivery Group estimates that between £350 million and £400 million in annual fares revenue is lost to fraud and ticketless travel.
Stations Receiving New Barriers
Operators have been allocated funding to install barriers at the following stations:
- Avanti West Coast: Liverpool Lime Street and Stafford
- East Midlands Railway: Market Harborough
- Greater Anglia: Hertford East, Manningtree, Rayleigh, Ware and Witham
- Thameslink Southern Great Northern: Elephant and Castle, Gipsy Hill, Royston, Stevenage and Worthing
- TransPennine Express: Manchester Piccadilly
- West Midlands Trains: Nuneaton, Tamworth, Worcester Foregate Street and Worcester Shrub Hill
Minister's Statement on Fare Evasion
Rail minister Lord 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.” He added: “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.”
Timeline for Installation
The rollout of the new gates is expected to begin in the first half of 2027 and be completed by mid-2028. The DfT said the barriers will be deployed at 'fare dodger hotspots' to maximise their impact on reducing revenue loss.
