Northern seeks the help of eleven headteachers to combat students' ongoing fare evasion.

The train operator has urged them to help address the issue as the academic year ends.

Incidents since September 2023 have included students travelling without tickets, ticket fraud and antisocial behaviour.

Additionally, Northern has seen a rise in verbal and physical assaults on conductors and station staff.

Northern has had to request the support of the British Transport Police to maintain order at several stations.

Mark Powles, commercial and customer director at Northern, said: "What we're seeing is persistent, calculated fare evasion.

"That's why we're calling on headteachers to help us identify repeat offenders."

Northern has already seen a reduction in incidents at Honley High School in West Yorkshire, adopting a joined-up approach with the headteacher and staff.

Teachers are now deployed to the station to identify students and secure the station staff's safety.

James Meads, assistant headteacher of Honley High School, said:

"As part of the school’s on-going work with Northern, we have deployed members of teaching staff to the local railway station to help identify students that have attempted to fare evade on their commute to the school"

Northern aims to initiate a similar approach with Highfields College and Sutton Academy.

Since January, the operator has urged parents to adopt its Under 16 Education Season Ticket, which could reduce the cost of their child’s commute by 75 per cent.

They remain the second-largest train operator in the UK, running 2,500 services daily to over 500 stations across Northern England.