New ticket gates to stop passengers getting a free ride on the trans-Pennine railway have been installed at Manchester Airport and Dewsbury rail station.
Train operator TransPennine Express (TPE) has installed 15 new ticket gates at Manchester Airport in a move which will have an affect on passengers from Huddersfield and Dewsbury stations – and thwart passengers who fail to buy a ticket before getting on the train.
Two sets of ticket gates have been installed at the station – one at platform level between the tram and train platforms and one at the station booking office level. Eleven of the 15 gates are “wide aisle” to accommodate large items of luggage.
TPE has invested £600,000 has into the new ticket gates at the airport, which is part of a £3.7m scheme to install gates across the TPE network.
Ten ticket gates costing £600,000 are being installed at Dewsbury station and will go live at the end of this month while 18 gates, representing a £1.5m investment, will go live at Manchester Picadilly in March.
Ian Humphreys, head of retail strategy at TPE, said: “The installation of the ticket gates is a significant investment which will go a long way to make things fairer for our customers.
“The vast majority of people pay for their journeys and are rightly frustrated when they see others getting a free ride. These ticket gates will go a long way to put an end to that, as well as adding further security to the station.”
The gates accept all current ticket types and have the potential to provide a contactless payment option in the future. The airport gates at platform level will be remotely monitored, meaning that any customers having problems using them will be able to press a button and speak to a member of staff on the upper level. The customer can then show their ticket via a camera and the staff member can buzz them through.
