Stafford is among the stations that will benefit from new ticket gates being installed at platforms across England, funded by £33.4 million from the Department for Transport.
Why the changes are happening
Fare evasion costs the rail network up to £400 million every year. The Government says every pound lost to fare dodging is money that cannot be spent on improving services, maintaining the network, or upgrading carriages.
The new gates include taller barriers specifically designed to stop people jumping over them. Stations that currently have no barriers at all will also be getting gates for the first time.
What the Rail Minister said
Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said fare evasion is "not a victimless crime", adding that stopping dodgers at the barrier protects taxpayer money and helps invest in a better railway for passengers who do pay.
Bigger picture
The changes are part of wider rail reforms ahead of the launch of Great British Railways, a new public body being set up to bring rail services back into public ownership and join up the network under one roof.
Source: stafford.nub.news
Photo: David Dixon / Stafford Railway Station / CC BY-SA 2.0
