Subscribe I was ordered off the train and told to pay pounds 10 immediately They were rude and heavy-handed
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I was ordered off the train and told to pay pounds 10 immediately They were rude and heavy-handed. "We're concerned about people who forget their ticket or lose it," he says. "Under the Penalty Fares Act, LU no longer has to prove your intent. It's just a question of fact that you're guilty."When Robert McEwen, a commuter, was travelling to Clapham Common last summer, inspectors stopped him for under-paying his fare by 30p "I was made to feel like a criminal," he says. To date, there have been 26,500 appeals by passengers against the imposition of penalty fares and 700 people have taken their complaints to the LRPC.Rufus Barnes, secretary for the committee, believes the policy is too harsh. "I'd rather work in an office." Ian is also nervous of the risks: "I always wonder if I'll get back in one piece," he says.
"I never tell my wife the whole story."More criticism towards the fines has come from the London Regional Passengers Committee (LRPC), which has already aired its concerns to Steven Norris, the local transport minister. But such an active threat has made passengers resentful - often towards staff. Paul has been sworn at, kicked and thrown down a flight of stairs.Recently, his mate was pinned against a wall and ended up in hospital "I don't enjoy my job There's just too much stress," he says darkly. It's to show that we don't want this to be seen as an idle threat."With an pounds 8m increase in ticket sales in the last financial year, much of which is attributed to spot fines, this is clearly not so. Since the policy was introduced last April, 100,000 penalty fares have been given out, and in the first week alone inspectors took pounds l.8m for excess fares.LU spokesman Donal McCabe is keen that passengers should take the measure seriously "We've taken fare evaders to court," he says "We've also sent bailiffs to people's houses.
"He's probably a persistent fare evader," says Ian, slightly out of breath. "I should think he'll get prosecuted for this one."Chases such as this are rarer now that London Underground (LU) issues spot fines of pounds 10 and fewer passengers try to travel for free. "I've told you where I live, and you can check it if you like," he says sarcastically.More details are recorded before their suspect suddenly takes flight towards the exit Ian and Paul chase him as far as the ticket barriers He bounds over them and runs out of the station. "What's your name? Where did you get on? Where do you live?" The transformation from benign ticket inspectors to tough policemen is swift. "We advise that what you say now could be used as evidence against you.