Yes it is. A substantial selection of people here have it wedged in their head that paying for (a/the right) train ticket is optional unless the nasty man makes them pay or they run into some nasty ticket gates. People justify it to themselves in many different ways, including "the private companies are making too much profit/not paying enough tax", "it's too complicated to use a TVM", and "I've paid for my journey so why should it matter if I get on the wrong train/TOC/route/whatever".
as a someone who has kept an eye out on blatant fare dodgers for many years, quite simply the staff are not strict enough.
Penalty fares of £20 is too low. 4 or 5 of those a year compared to the hundreds and probably into thousands saved a year is peanuts!
There should be far more barriers, and far more RPIs. And they must also be given the ability to physically restrain someone from leaving the station until they pay up, instead of giving the little darlings worthless warnings, and continue to let them get away with it.
I commute from barrierless station to barrierless station for 2 years in south London. I've never seen an RPI at either station or on the train. I do pay for my train ticket, but fare evasion must be rife, as it must surely be on the nearby tramlink or DLR.
In fact, its stupid. The honour system used at most stations in London are all in low income areas. It ridiculous. Of course people who sponge off benefits aren't going to pay a single sodding penny. Why should they when there's virtually no RPIs and no barriers.
Any public transport must have barriers and RPIs in poor areas. Even the new sodding Boris buses is bringing back the free bus.
You couldn't make it up.
Its the loony left's dream come true.
Give everything to the work-shy benefit scroungers, and make your average Joe pay for it.
thanks Labour!! never will I vote for those scoundrels.
