Understand
New taller ticket gates installed at High Wycombe station to tackle fare dodging
Overview
Chiltern Railways has become the first rail operator in the UK to install taller FEnx ticket barriers at High Wycombe railway station. Designed by Cubic Transportation Systems to combat fare evasion, the gates combine a full-height physical barrier with intelligent detection technology, sensors, and computer vision. While transport commentators have noted the gates have a fortress-like appearance, Chiltern Railways and local MP Emma Reynolds welcomed the installation as a way to protect crucial rail funds and crack down on anti-social behaviour.
Key points
- Chiltern Railways is the first rail operator in the UK to install taller FEnx ticket barriers at High Wycombe railway station.
- The taller gates are part of a wider scheme to combat fare evasion, which costs the rail industry up to £400m a year.
- The new barriers feature intelligent detection technology, sensors, and computer vision to identify ticketless travel and ensure passenger safety.
- The Department for Transport previously announced that taller barriers could be rolled out nationally as part of a £33.4m scheme.
- Wycombe MP Emma Reynolds welcomed the installation, while transport commentators noted the gates have a utilitarian, American-style appearance.