More Cash Recovered Through OST

Phil Bateman Corporate Affairs Director said today, "We have continued to roll out a comprehensive checking mechanism with our partners West Midlands Police. We call these operations ’Gateway Checks’ as they tend to take place at strategic entrances to Towns and Cities across the West Midlands County. During this last month of July we have stopped more buses and scrutinised more passengers in this month than we recorded at same period last year. Yet some passengers seem still intent on trying to cheat on their fares. We have recovered almost all of the money we have identified as being fraudulently cheated from TWM in July, and we intend to recover the remainder by the use of bailiffs. We shall also be speaking with our partners West Midlands Police about how we can charge more persons for fraud if they are caught trying to get away with not paying the appropriate fares. West Midlands Police arrested 14 persons during the period for a variety of offences , we are very pleased in the way that they continue to support what must be one of the best partnership operations in the region. Our own Revenue Inspectors continue to provide the company and the partnership with some very solid performances, and I would like to pay tribute to the way that they are uncovering quite sophisticated fraud techniques being used by passengers." Total amount of cash already recovered in July 2003 £9,227.30

Published 12th August 2003