ScotRail is set to crack down on rail users who deliberately try to dodge paying the correct fare following a pilot scheme using new ticket validation machines at Paisley Canal station.

The rail operator has announced that they will be creating 42 new Revenue Protection Officer roles to attempt to reduce ticket fraud, which costs the company around £2million per year.

It follows a pilot scheme where ticket validation machines were used at stations across the country to read mobile tickets and barcoded tickets as passengers pass through the ticket gates.

The devices are designed to flag up any potentially invalid tickets, including a ticket that isn’t valid for a particular journey, rail card conditions, an adult customer using a child ticket, and when a customer is claiming a “short-hop” journey.

The new Revenue Protection Officers will check tickets that are flagged, and passengers found travelling with an invalid ticket will have their details taken and be charged the correct fare.

Additionally, they may be further investigated and referred to the British Transport Police where appropriate.

Phil Campbell, ScotRail head of customer operations, said: “Tackling ticket fraud has always been a priority for ScotRail.

“It’s a small minority of passengers who deliberately try to avoid paying the proper fare but it’s honest, fare-paying passengers who bear the burden of lost investment in Scotland’s Railway.

“The 42 new Revenue Protection Officers will be deployed around the rail network working from first trains to last.

“Those roles will really help support front-line colleagues with ticket irregularity, fraud, and any difficult situations.

“We are determined to drive down ticketless travel, making the rail network a safer and more secure environment for customers and colleagues alike.”