When we launched Ditch the Print, we set out to challenge a frustrating and outdated policy that was impacting passengers across Merseyside — particularly those who, like many of us, increasingly rely on digital ticketing to get around.
At the heart of the issue was the fact that Merseyrail, uniquely among UK train operators, was requiring passengers with e-tickets (QR code tickets bought through apps like Trainline) to print them out — or risk being fined. In many cases, travellers were being charged full fares or receiving penalty notices, even though they held valid digital tickets. In an era where digital ticketing is the norm across most of the UK rail network, this simply didn’t make sense.
We believed then, and we still believe now, that this practice is not only out of step with modern expectations — it’s also just wrong.
What we set out to change
Ditch the Print wasn’t about stirring controversy for the sake of it. It was about clarity, fairness, and consumer rights. We focused on:
- Highlighting the disconnect between Merseyrail’s policy and standard practice across the National Rail network.
- Calling for clarity and consistency in how Merseyrail communicates with passengers, especially given the conflicting advice received from its own frontline staff and social media channels.
- Urging investment in technology so that Merseyrail could handle e-tickets just as other operators do.
We put these concerns directly to Merseyrail’s leadership, publishing an open letter to Managing Director Neil Grabham and urging the operator to engage with us. We also launched a petition that received support and shared case studies from affected passengers like Jacob Riddle. One of our biggest priorities was supporting passengers who had been caught out by this unclear and inconsistent policy — people who often had no idea they’d done anything wrong until it was too late.
We also want to shine a light on the excellent work that Transport Focus is continuing to do in response to the concerns raised through this campaign.
Following our intervention, Transport Focus launched a detailed review of digital ticketing and revenue protection on the Merseyrail network. Meetings with senior Merseyrail staff confirmed that QR code tickets are generally only valid for journeys involving ‘Liverpool Stations’ — and while passengers in this category are not supposed to incur penalty fares, the public messaging around this has been misleading, particularly from Trainline. Work is already underway to improve that communication.
Crucially, Transport Focus has gone further — they’ve been testing journey planning and ticketing systems, conducting site visits, and are now monitoring enforcement practices to assess consistency in how penalty fares are being issued. Their findings are being shared as part of the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) review into revenue protection across the industry.
We’re incredibly grateful to the team at Transport Focus for taking our campaign seriously and for making such a proactive contribution to fixing the issues on the ground.
What we learned
Over the course of the campaign, we uncovered several critical insights:
- Merseyrail’s byelaws give them flexibility to deviate from national standards — but this flexibility should be used with discretion, not to punish passengers for using digital tickets.
- There is a lack of transparency and communication about what tickets are and aren’t accepted, which can lead to serious consequences including fines, legal action, and emotional distress.
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The infrastructure gap — namely, Merseyrail’s inability to scan QR codes — has not kept up with consumer behaviour or with the technology used elsewhere across the network.
Perhaps most telling of all was the contrast with other operators. On journeys involving Transport for Wales, for example, the very same QR code ticket was accepted without issue — making Merseyrail’s stance even more frustrating for those caught in the crossfire.
Final thoughts
After months of advocacy, conversation and research, we’ve now made the decision to pause the public-facing elements of the Ditch the Print campaign. Like many volunteer-led organisations, our capacity is limited — and while we remain committed to this issue, we’re unable to continue active campaigning at this time. We think we’ve taken this campaign as far as we feasibly can at present. That said, we want to be absolutely clear: this is not the end.
We’ll continue to monitor developments, keep stakeholders informed, and work behind the scenes wherever we can. The stories we’ve gathered, the conversations we’ve had, and the support we’ve received show that this issue matters — and thanks to groups like Transport Focus, momentum for change continues.
Thank you to everyone who has supported this campaign so far. Whether you shared your story, signed our petition, or raised the issue with local leaders, you’ve helped to shine a spotlight on a policy that needs to change.
We may have paused public campaigning — but our commitment to fixing this important issue is as strong as ever.
