New fines and ticketing policy for West Midlands Metro approved - with conductors to get new role
Conductors working on trams in the West Midlands will be retrained as enforcement officers when increased fines and a new ticketing policy come into effect.
Members of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Board agreed to increase penalty fares from the current £10 to £100, with a 50 per cent reduction if paid within 14 days.
At the meeting on Friday, bosses said the change would come into effect alongside the introduction of its ‘Buy Before You Board’ ticketing – a policy first approved in 2019.
Currently, people are able to get on board a tram and buy their tickets from a conductor but it has been noted by people, including paying passengers, that some are able to complete their journeys without forking out for their fare – especially at peak times when the Metro is full.
At present, there is no date earmarked for when the new fine will come into effect but, when it does, a ‘soft launch’ of the new regime will be carried out over a number of months to help people transition over to it.
