The penalty fare for ticket evasion on a train operator that serves East Lancashire has increased from this week.

Since 2005, the penalty fare for anyone caught travelling onboard a Northern train or any other operator’s without a valid ticket or ‘promise to pay’ notice has been £20.

However, the industry felt this was too low and was no longer acting as a deterrent to would-be fare evaders – and a public consultation found 69 per cent of respondents agreed the £20 penalty was too low.

Those that dodge tickets can now be fined £100, reduced to £50 if paid within 21 days, from Monday, January 23.

The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) estimates every year around £240 million is lost through fare evasion on Great Britain’s railways.

Mark Powles, commercial and customer director at Northern, said: “The overwhelming majority of our customers – upwards of 95 per cent – do the right thing and buy a ticket before they board one of our services.

“However, fare dodgers will find themselves having to dig deep if they continue to try and travel without buying a ticket.

"The £100 penalty fare is a government initiative that Northern and other train operators in England will begin to enforce.

“With more ways than ever to buy a ticket – be it online, through an app, at a self-serve machine or ticket office – there really is no excuse.

"It is, however, totally avoidable for anyone who travels responsibly on our network.”

Money raised through issued penalty fares by Northern will be re-invested in the rail industry to improve the service offered to customers.

The increase in the penalty fare brings it in-line with penalty charges faced on Manchester’s Metrolink tram network and Transport for London services.