People Creating Fake Personas to Avoid Paying for Trams, Says Metrolink Boss
Metrolink’s chief reveals that some people are using fake identities to dodge tram fares. This issue has sparked concerns about fare evasion and the system’s response.
Heald Green, Greater Manchester, Metrolink, Fare Evasion, Transport
Heald Green: It seems some folks are getting pretty creative to skip tram fares. The Metrolink boss, Danny Vaughan, mentioned that people are even making up fake identities.
He said that when caught, some travelers give fake addresses. This came to light after a woman named Rebecca Westaway had a penalty fare sent to her by mistake.
Rebecca, 58, thinks someone else used her address when they got caught without a ticket. She received a letter about the fine but sent it back unopened.
After a month, she got a final reminder letter. She loves writing letters but was frustrated when Metrolink told her to appeal the notice.
She refused to open a letter addressed to a name she didn’t recognize. TfGM has since apologized for the mix-up and promised to fix the address issue.
Stockport councillor Grace Baynham raised this at a committee meeting. She criticized Metrolink for how they handled Rebecca’s case.
She pointed out that Metrolink’s response felt threatening, suggesting court action for a mistake. Vaughan admitted that they could have handled the fake address situation better.
He acknowledged that some people go to great lengths to create fake personas. It’s tough to catch them sometimes, but they’re serious about tackling fare evasion.
Last year, fare evasion on Metrolink dropped by over a third, with about £2.5 million collected in penalties. They’re working hard to protect their revenue and keep the system running smoothly.