SIR – I was fortunate to be able to take my wife to London for three days and two nights. The purpose of the trip was good old R&R so the train was the preferred option of travel.

I pre-purchased tickets from Shrub Hill station and it so happened that if I purchased a one-month Saver Return that would be my least expensive option.

On our arrival at Foregate Street station we climbed the stairs and waited on platform one. As we waited I happened to read a very large poster, which had the names and addresses of people that had been caught and prosecuted for travelling without a ticket or fare avoidance. Obviously a poster the railway company is very proud of.

The 9.36am train pulled in and leaves right on time.

Our outward tickets are checked and stamped, the refreshment trolley travels up and down the train several times before we arrive at London Paddington without mishap.

How the three days speed past. We find ourselves back at Paddington and on platform eight our train awaits us. With no staff to check our tickets prior to boarding we climb aboard.

One has to bear in mind that the journey time back to Worcester is two hours and twenty minutes. You would have thought that a ticket conductor would have had plenty of time to check and date-stamp our return tickets but no, not once.

So how do the train companies intend to clamp down on fare dodgers if within a two-hour plus journey they can’t be bothered to check tickets?

GARY KIBBLEWHITE,

Worcester.