A KEIGHLEY district MP warned a train operator he would aim to remove its franchise if an anti fare dodger crackdown means people trying to buy a ticket get fined.

Philip Davies, whose Shipley constituency includes Cullingworth and Denholme, accused Northern of "bullying" tactics ahead of the introduction of tougher travel rules, which could see rail passengers hit with on-the-spot fines for failing to buy a ticket at the start of their journey.

A team of 'authorised collectors' will be positioned at stations along the Airedale and Wharfedale lines to issue £20 'penalty fares' to ticketless travellers from December 6.

It means passengers travelling without a ticket on a Northern train from that date anywhere between Leeds and Bradford Forster Square, Leeds/Bradford and Ilkley, or Leeds/Bradford and Skipton, could be penalised on the spot.

Other stations on those routes include Keighley, Frizinghall, Shipley, Baildon and Guiseley.

Mr Davies said: “I've met with Northern Rail to protest in the strongest terms about customers wanting to buy a ticket being fined.

"I have said that if I come across any constituents who are fined who are wanting to buy a ticket I will do all I can to get them to lose their franchise at the earliest opportunity.

"They have been using their monopoly status to bully their customers who are seeking to buy a ticket and it is completely unacceptable.

"Everyone at the company is in desperate need of a lesson in customer service."

Northern is bringing in the changes as part of a campaign to get all its passengers to buy their tickets before they get onboard.

It says it has invested in new state-of-the-art ticket machines at all stations on the two lines. Posters are going up at stations, while leaflets will be handed out to rail passengers to explain the system.

Paul Barnfield, regional director for Northern, said: “The penalty fares are a natural extension of the 'Buy Before You Board' Campaign we launched last year.

"Sadly there is still a minority who believe they have a right to travel without buying a ticket.

“Their actions reduce the overall income of the rail industry and, as a result, reduces the money available to invest in further improvements to the railway.

“Everyone who travels by train should have a valid ticket or pass, or must be able to demonstrate they have made every effort to buy a ticket before they boarded.

“If they are unable to do either of these then, from December 6, our authorised collectors will be on hand at stations along the routes to either issue £20 fines or ask customers to pay double the cost of a single ticket to their destination.”

He added: "We have invested in new state-of-the-art ticket machines at all stations on the Airedale and Wharfedale lines.

"These machines offer a full range of fares – including discounts.

“With online and mobile ticketing, as well as ticket offices at our staffed stations, there is really no reason for anyone to board a train without a valid ticket.

“For customers who want to pay by cash, our ticket machines will issue Promise to Pay notices which can be exchanged (along with a cash payment) for a ticket when on board the service or at the next available ticket office.”

Northern was approached for comment in response to Mr Davies' statement, but had not responded by the time the Keighley News went to print.