Penalty fares DOWN 20% in 1st year since Government increased fine to £100, says Northern

THE 2nd largest train operator in the UK, Northern has seen a 20% drop in the number of penalty fares issued in the 1st year since the Government increased the fine to those travelling without a ticket to £100.

The train operator issued:- 41,234 penalty fares between:- 23 January and 23 December 2023, compared to:- 52,394 for the same period in 2022.

The £100 penalty fare came into effect on 23 January 2023, 1 year ago tomorrow.

Mark Powles, Commercial and Customer Director, at Northern, said:- "This is a significant and much welcomed drop in the number of penalty fares issued. The appetite for:- 'risking it' has clearly taken a hit in the past 12 months – and the increase in the penalty fare is no doubt a factor."

Northern has taken a multi faceted approach to the issue of fare evasion in recent years, deploying revenue protection teams to known hotspots; introducing new technology to help expedite ticket checks at stations and on board its trains; and clamping down on cases of digital fraud.

Powles added:- "It's worth remembering that upwards of 95% of our customers do the right thing and buy a ticket before they travel. The reduction in attempted fare evasion is a victory for taxpayers who ultimately foot the bill for those that try not to pay."

Between 2005 and the price rise in 2023, the penalty fare had been just £20; but it was felt by the industry that that figure was too low and was no longer an effective deterrent to would be fare evaders.

As part of the Government's public consultation, 69% of respondents agreed that £20 was too low as a penalty fare.

Money raised through penalty fares issued by Northern will, in-line with other revenue income streams, be re-invested in the rail industry to improve the service offered to all customers.

Northern has invested in the largest network of digital ticket infrastructure of any train operator in the country, making it easier than ever to buy a ticket via their app, website or 1 of more than 600 ticket machines across the network.

Fare evaders are prosecuted under the provisions of the Regulation of Railways Act 1889 and the Railway Byelaws made pursuant to the Transport Act 2000. In cases of ticket fraud, perpetrators are prosecuted under the Fraud Act 2006.

UK STEM skills shortage 'at risk of growing' as low income parents fear for children's prospects

PARENTS have called for more high quality science and maths teachers as a new study reveals anxiety over the career prospects of children from communities facing disadvantage.

51% of parents from a lower socio economic background believe their children are:- "unlikely" to have a career in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM).

750 parents were polled in a YouGov survey, commissioned by education charity Teach First, with the growing skills gap in STEM subjects set to impede the UK's economic growth and its ability to tackle urgent issues like climate change in the years ahead.

The research, released for the International Day of Education, on:- 24 January 2024, found that 88% of parents said their children's Schools needed more high quality maths and science teachers.

Teach 1st has long campaigned for teachers in shortage subjects such as maths and science to be incentivised into the profession. Moreover, both the Conservatives and Labour have made maths education a key issue ahead of this year's general election.

The charity believes recruiting and retaining high quality STEM teachers for the classrooms facing the greatest challenges is vital to boost the UK's future STEM workforce, as teachers play a key role in helping young people do well at School and achieve their career aspirations.

As well as talking to parents, Teach 1st surveyed more than 1,000 young people aged from 11 to 16 for their views on STEM careers, with only two-fifths (41.8%) of those from lower socio economic backgrounds saying they would consider a STEM career.

Teach 1st CEO Russell Hobby said:- "These findings paint a worrying picture for the UK's STEM sector. A nationwide skills shortage in science and maths will have dire consequences for our economic growth and stop us tackling urgent problems such as climate change. Inspiring young people to pursue a career in STEM starts with getting great teachers where they are most needed: Schools serving low income communities. Last year saw a threefold increase in Teach First's recruitment of physics teachers, but our job is not done yet. To tackle this problem head on, we're calling for an increase in pay for trainee teachers in shortage subjects such as maths and science, particularly in low-income areas. Any growth plan for our country must put investment in teachers and young people at its heart."

Tyler Bryce, Teach 1st maths teacher at Waterhead Academy, Oldham:- "My aim to help every pupil to see maths as a utility that can make life easier, rather than a complex subject they have to pass an exam in. I find it so rewarding when they tell me how they've used maths outside the classroom. For example, how knowing decimal calculations can help add up the weekly food shop with their parents. Encouraging creativity in maths can also really boost motivation. Like other STEM subjects, maths can be seen as very rigid, but how 1 pupil solves a maths problem could be completely different to the pupil sat next to them. As teachers, it's so important to highlight real life maths examples and nurture the creativity within the subject. Teaching in these ways can empower pupils to embrace maths, and perhaps even inspire the next generation of mathematicians."