Arriva Trains Managers have warned that passengers who board trains without a ticket could now face a £70 fine if they don’t actively seek out a guard to buy a ticket.

Traditionally, passengers using unstaffed stations across Wales took seat in the train and waited for a member of staff to come through with a portable ticket machine. However, it is now up to passengers to walk through the train to find the guard themselves at risk of being fined.

Customers will be treated as fare dodgers if they fail to find a member of staff themselves, according to new procedures.

Arriva Trains Wales has also advised customers to use new ticket vending machines at unstaffed platforms before boarding the train.

Ignoring a ticket machine because there was no time to buy a ticket before the train arrived may not be accepted as a valid reason for ticketless travel.

Paul Tapley, ATW’s Head of Marketing, said: “Whilst the vast majority of our customers pay their fares in the correct way, we still have a situation where many millions of pounds of tickets are not purchased due to people deliberately evading buying the right ticket.

“That’s to the disadvantage of the honest, fare-paying passengers, and it’s an issue to our largest customer, Welsh Government.”

For more details, please read here on Wales Online.