The government is set to order an independent review of rail fares prosecutions and their enforcement by train companies following reports of disproportionate actions against passengers by rail teams. income protection.
The BBC understands that Transport Secretary Louise Haigh will ask the Office for Rail and Road to review how fare evasion is dealt with.
Train operators have a number of tools at their disposal to deal with passengers who have underpaid or who have not purchased a ticket at all.
It is understood that while the Government is not seeking to strip businesses of the power to pursue criminals who deliberately avoid paying, there is growing discomfort with action being taken against people who have made innocent mistakes.
The most serious sanction is prosecution for fare evasion, which can result in passengers appearing in a magistrates' court and having a significant criminal record.
The independent review the government is expected to announce will examine the clarity of ticketing terms and conditions and how they are communicated to train users.
A key question for the Office of Rail and Roads will be whether legal action is the right step.
Last month, government-owned Northern dropped all action against engineering graduate Sam Williamson, who was reported to the operator's debt enforcement and recovery department for using his 16-25 railcard to travel on a service to Manchester.
Mr Williamson was prosecuted for paying £1.90 less than he should have paid, although he admitted his mistake and offered to pay a fine or a new tariff, sparking widespread criticism towards Northern.
The Department for Transport asked the company to review its ticketing policy to ensure it was clear and fair for passengers and asked it to examine the details of similar cases.
Northern responded by withdrawing all charges against those prosecuted in similar circumstances and promised to review the historical cases.
The terms and conditions of Mr Williamson's rail card specified that the discount was only valid for peak services where the original fare was £12 or more. However, despite the fine print, he was able to purchase a ticket informing him that he could travel “at any time”.
