The penalty for evading rail fares in England will increase from £20 to £100 next year, the Government has announced.
From January 2023, fare dodgers will be charged the new penalty fare, which is reduced to £50 if paid within 21 days, plus the price of a ticket for the journey.
Currently, those travelling without a ticket are fined whichever is greater of £20 or twice the ticket price to the next station the train calls at.
The Department for Transport (DfT) said the present system, which has not been updated since 2005, was not enough of a deterrent for fare dodgers.
The Rail Delivery Group estimates that fare evasion is costing the rail industry an estimated £240 million per year.
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