Northern say parents are giving children ‘£100 penalty in a lunchbox’ by not sending them with a train ticket

Train operator Northern has warned parents about the risks of not sending their children on board with a train ticket. The company has said doing so is ‘effectively packing a £100 penalty fare’ in their lunchbox.

Passengers on Northern services, which operate in and around Greater Manchester, are required to buy tickets before getting on board. Northern is warning against parents promising to send a ticket to their child via text and not fulfilling the pledge- leaving their child with a £100 penalty fare.

This penalty fare was £20 up until January 2023, but this amount was deemed to be too ineffective in stopping fare dodgers. The £100 has been implemented as a more effective deterrent. 

Mark Powles, commercial and customer director at Northern, said: “It’s perfectly legal for parents to buy their child’s ticket and send them via text – however, why risk it?

“It’s so easy to get distracted in the morning rush and the moment their child boards a train without a ticket they might as well have packed a £100 penalty fare in their lunchbox themselves.”

Northern offer season tickets, which Powles promotes as one way to avoid being stung by the fine.

“They’ll also be able to rest-assured their child will always have a valid ticket to get them to and from school – and they won’t have to spend time buying and texting individual tickets every day," he added.