Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of installing ticket barriers at Hayes station in Kent to help tackle (a) fare evasion and (b) anti-social behaviour.

Since coming into public ownership in 2021, Southeastern Trains have invested significantly in actions to tackle fare evasion and anti-social behaviour, including extra security trained staff at key locations, intelligence led revenue protection exercises, increased onboard ticket checks and increased gate line hours. Southeastern now have one of the lowest levels of ticketless travel across the country.

Installing a new gate line at an ungated station is expensive and therefore train operators prioritise stations that have higher levels of fare evasion and anti-social behaviour. Currently Southeastern Trains are focussing on projects to install gates at Ramsgate and Margate which will be delivered over the next 12-18 months. Southeastern Trains have conducted a high-level survey at Hayes which concluded that the station is suitable for the installation of ticket barriers, however further work is required over the coming months to develop the business case for future gating schemes.