FARE dodgers who fail to pay up on York buses can expect to be hit hard in the pocket from the start of next month.

FirstGroup has announced that fines for those who do not have a valid ticket or permit on its services are to increase from £10 to £35 from September 1.

The company, based in James Street, has introduced the hard line tactics in a bid to clamp down on offenders who are determined not to pay their fares.

As First begins to move towards electronic ticketing schemes, such as smart cards, company bosses have vowed to punish those who will not pay.

York is the second area to introduce the new fines scheme, following its successful launch in South Yorkshire.

Peter Edwards, First commercial director, said offenders could expect to find their wallets a bit lighter if caught by inspectors.

"Honest, decent fare paying customers have nothing to fear from this," he said. "Those who might try it on will soon realise it is not worth their while.

"We are in a process where we are moving more towards forms of electronic ticketing with smart cards and other ideas.

"Services will improve as buses spend less time at bus stops and drivers spend less time collecting money. This new system is in place to target those who might be tempted to ride without a ticket. If they get caught, they are going to get stung."

Mr Edwards said the fines would not be on-the-spot, with offenders given grace to pay the penalties. The scheme is a departure from other transport companies who typically charge a £10 fine, with the threat of prosecution, for those who deliberately fail to pay their fares.

Unpaid fares cost transport companies millions of pounds every year and are one of the main reasons why companies put up fare prices.

BECKY MITCHELL hit the streets to find out what passengers thought about the new bus fines

Jill Marshall, 60, from York: "People should obviously have a ticket, but then people who don't buy a ticket probably can't afford it, so £35 as a fine is too much really."

Gary Holliday, 38, from Walmgate: "It's fair play really. The bus is the cheapest way to travel so people should not abuse it by not paying the ticket. If they just bought a ticket they would not have to pay the fine."

Robert Griffin, 21, student, from York, said: "If people are able to skip paying the ticket they could probably skip paying the fine as well. They should reduce the fares instead and then people would not try to avoid paying it."

Steven Aggett, 22, a businessman, from Holtby, near Darlington, said: "If someone is trying to get away with not paying a ticket it probably means that they can't afford to pay the ticket in the first place."

Ashraf Rashwan, 29, from The Groves, York: "It doesn't matter how much the fine is. People deserve to be fined if they don't pay the fare. If people don't buy a ticket they should expect to be fined."

Updated: 10:00 Thursday, August 04, 2005