A TRAIN operator that runs services throughout the region has revealed it has saved more than £10m in fraudulently claimed refunds in the past 18-months.

Northern, which has been publicly owned since March 2020, has its own specialist team of investigators and is also working with online booking service Trainline to stamp out refund fraud.

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Fraudulently claimed refunds costs the industry tens of millions annually which could otherwise have been reinvested in service improvements.

To tackle the issue, Northern’s own team of investigators and staff at Trainline have been working hard to identify and block fake claims.

Jason Wade, head of retail operations at Northern, said: “Fraud and ticketless travel are, thankfully, carried out by a small minority of people, but the impact is wide-ranging and far from victimless.

“It is fare-paying customers who bear the brunt of these crimes as the resulting financial implications can mean money has to be diverted from planned enhancements."

Champa Magesh, President at Trainline Partner Solutions, said: “Working with Northern to reduce fraud has meant we are saving taxpayer money and helping our partner reinvest these funds for the good of their customers.

“This reinvestment will, ultimately, help make the train travel experience for rail users in the North even more seamless, encouraging more people to choose the train over other less sustainable forms of transport.”

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