Train passenger fined £50 for putting feet on seats

Trinh Cuong, a 22-year-old manicurist from Ringwood in Hampshire, was spotted resting his feet on the seat opposite him during a train journey in Cheshire. He said he was just stretching out in an almost-empty carriage and had no idea he was doing anything wrong - until he was slapped with a £50 fine.

Cuong was travelling between Ellesmere Port and Hooton last June when a guard approached him. The Daily Mail reported that he was handed a written caution, which was followed by a summons to court - under a railway by-law. According to the Metro, he appeared before magistrates and was fined £50. The rail companies use this system because there's no process for on-the-spot fines.
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There is actually a fairly hefty list of by-laws. They ban things you would expect like smoking, being drunk, using abusive language, and damaging the railway. However they also go into less expected detail. It is, for example, an offence to spit, sing, or drop litter, walk the wrong way on an escalator, or try to get into the train until the passengers have got off. Technically, you could be slapped with a fine if you do any of them.

Will you be fined?

It's fairly unusual for a train company to be so keen to impose these bylaws. Merseyrail, however, feels particularly strongly about feet on seats. In 2008 a spokesperson said: "People feel safe on our trains and appreciate the pleasant environments we work hard to create. However, feet on seats is a problem, and many of our customer complaints are about other people putting their feet on seats."

"Anyone found with their feet on seats is cautioned by our law enforcement officers and offenders can subsequently pay an administrative charge of £50. If they choose not to, they are summoned to appear at a magistrates' court. Merseyrail encourages offenders to pay this one-off charge and only prosecutes as a last resort."

Rail Magazine ran an interview in 2009 with a By-law enforcement operator for the firm, who said: "In the two years since Merseyrail introduced enforcement officers we have had about 3,000 cases [covering all the by-laws rather than just feet on seats], and in every one the person was found guilty." He added: "There is still a problem with feet on seats and it is difficult to put a number on it. This happens every day, despite there being 18 stickers in each carriage and a poster."

But what do you think? Does this seem heavy-handed? Or would you like to see more of these rules enforced? Let us know in the comments.