Ticketing and Concessionary Travel on Public Transport - United ...

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66. An integrated ticketing system should be backed by an integrated revenue
protection system. Whilst the current regulations for rail are generally satisfactory,
those for buses are not. The powers of bus revenue protection staff should be
strengthened. In the longer term, the Government should move towards a unified
system of public transport revenue protection. The implications of new ticket types <strong>and</strong>
technologies will also need to be considered.
67. TfL described to us some of the inconsistencies <strong>and</strong> limitations on revenue protection
in London. This situation is likely to improve if the Transport for London Bill currently
before parliament is enacted.
The rights of the passenger
68. It is equally important that the rights of individual passengers are respected. Whereas
the transport operators <strong>and</strong> public transport authorities seem generally content with the
current balance of powers, passenger groups are less so. Indeed, we received a disturbing
personal account (in confidence) from one passenger alleging serious injustice, abuse <strong>and</strong>
financial cost as a result of being accused of fare evasion. London <strong>Travel</strong>watch provided
evidence that this is not an isolated incident.
69. The rail industry has a statutory appeals procedure for passengers wishing to challenge
a penalty fare. However, not all the appeals processes used by train operators are clearly
<strong>and</strong> wholly independent.
The manner in which some of them work (most notably the self-styled “Independent
Penalty Fares Appeals Service”) gives rise to frequent criticism in our casework, not
least because what is effectively the same organisation also operates as a debtcollection
agency (“Revenue Protection Support Services”) outside the scope of the
penalty fares regulations, <strong>and</strong> thus beyond the supervisory reach of the Department
for Transport. 68
70. Bus passengers who wish to appeal against revenue protection actions have no
independent body to turn to. The operators run a Bus Appeal Body but this is entirely
voluntary <strong>and</strong> its findings are not binding.
71. The current appeals procedures for bus <strong>and</strong> rail are not sufficiently independent.
The consequences of being accused of fare dodging can be serious <strong>and</strong> it is important
that the procedures are just <strong>and</strong> rigorous. The current principal rail appeal panel is
associated with the rail industry <strong>and</strong> this undermines its credibility as a truly
independent arbiter, sitting equidistant from the passenger <strong>and</strong> the train operating
company. The bus industry appeals body has no regulatory backing. The Government
should consult on new arrangements. For rail this might involve giving responsibilities
to the Office of Rail Regulation or Passenger Focus; for bus it might be the Traffic
Commissioner or the proposed Passenger Transport User Committee.
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