Tickat fraud costs Metro bosses about �1.5m a year

Metro operator Nexus said it saw a dramatic rise in ticket sales when new anti-ticket fraud inspectors were trialled for the first time.

When just five went on duty at Newcastle's Monument Metro station, Nexus recorded a 40% boost to tickets sold, compared with the previous week.

The service's revenue rose from �4,169 to �5,673, with ticket sales up from 4,061 to 5,684 in just one day.

A further operation by officers from the Tyne and Wear Metro's police unit, also proved a success when they were sent to the city's Central Station.

Nexus has employed 20 inspectors in an effort to clampdown on fare evasion.

The light railway network loses �1.5m because of ticket fraud.

A Nexus spokesman said: "What the inspectors did was to provide a real deterrent to many people who obviously intended to travel without a ticket.

"Some people just turned on their heels and left the station.

"We suspect they were `short hop' passengers who might normally travel without a ticket and will now buy one."

Nexus says the presence of inspectors on trains will be backed up by a poster campaign, warning those who choose not to pay that they should expect to be caught.