A TRAIN company in Worcestershire has stepped up its fight against fare dodgers by warning them they face a criminal record if they don't pay.

Chiltern Railways, which runs trains from Marylebone, in London, to Kidderminster and Birmingham, has taken on an additional six ticket inspectors to carry out spot checks.

Last year, the rail operator prosecuted 208 people for not having a ticket and issued 545 penalty fares, with more than £50,000 collected in fines, legal costs and compensation.

"Fare evasion costs the rail industry millions of pounds each year, a cost that is inevitably passed on to law-abiding passengers through higher fares," said the firm's Ray Manka.

Chiltern Railways has also installed barriers and CCTV at stations.