Northern has written to the headteachers of eleven secondary schools and academies across the North of England, including Wilmslow High School, with a plea to help them tackle what they call 'persistent, calculated fare evasion' by students.
As the end of the academic year draws near, the train operator says it's time for headteachers to work with them to combat the issue.
It follows a catalogue of incidents since September 2023, including students travelling without tickets, ticket fraud and anti-social behaviour as well as verbal and physical assaults on conductors and station staff.
Behaviour at some stations has been so bad that Northern has had to request support from British Transport Police to maintain order.
Mark Powles, commercial and customer director at Northern, said: "What we're seeing is persistent, calculated fare evasion.
"With secondary school students, fare evasion incidents tend to occur on relatively short journeys between rural and suburban stations which are not barrier-controlled.
"That, combined with the limited time conductors have to carry out ticket checks, emboldens students to travel without a ticket."
Comments
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Northern knows the method by which fares are dodged but cannot make any changes to prevent it happening.
How about students can only travel on the train with a 'season ticket' or pass, which is paid in advance and valid only between their home station and school during term times. This is scanned and validated at the station to allow access to the station platform. No pass = no train.
Seems like the same sort of problem plaguing shops where thieves just walk off with stuff and cannot be apprehended for 'fear' of causing assault or harassment to the shoplifter/thief.