From today, train passengers from Emmen must take into account strict access controls on the platform. For the next four weeks, Arriva will check every day between 12:00 and 20:00 whether everyone has a valid ticket. Anyone who cannot show this must leave the station.
This led to surprised reactions on the first day. A traveler shouted indignantly: “What the hell is going on?” as he strode away from the train. Another man tries in vain to enter the train. An Arriva employee stops him: “No ticket, no train, it’s as simple as that.”
According to Arriva regional director Annemarie Hoogeveen, the supply is now full. “We see that the number of fare evaders is only increasing. Normally we check on the train, but we increasingly encounter situations of aggression. We also notice that many fare evaders do not have an ID with them. This leads to hassle, frustration and sometimes even violence. By intervening earlier, i.e. on the platform, the unrest on the train actually decreases,” is the idea.
Hoogeveen paints a worrying picture: “Incidents start with irritation or swearing, but we also see spitting, hitting and brutal violence. That is unacceptable.”
Arriva has previously taken steps to combat nuisance, such as deploying a steward with boa authority on every train. But that doesn’t solve everything. “Our steward boa can check and issue a fine, but is not allowed to do an identity check. While fare dodgers often do not have an ID with them. Then everything still gets stuck and we have to wait for the police. And they are already extremely busy,” Hoogeveen explains.
Arriva therefore advocates having the ‘train boa’ carry out an identity check. “A pilot is already running in Rotterdam. We want the same, so that we can act faster and the train journey becomes more pleasant for everyone.” Politics in The Hague is already considering this.
The checks in Emmen last four weeks. “It is not a structural solution to stop everyone at the front of the train,” Hoogeveen emphasizes. “But it is a signal that the limit is full. We hope that the House of Representatives will now take action.” It is not yet clear whether there will be follow-up actions. “After this test, we will look at what measures are necessary each time.”
It is not only fare dodgers that cause tensions at and around the station. Homeless people, drug users and so-called safe-landers who travel by train and bus also regularly cause nuisance. Local residents notice this every day.
Joey Koops, D66 councilor and resident of the station area, believes the checks are necessary. “We have asked for this before in the city council and it is good that this is now happening.” However, Koops sees that the measures are piling up. Emmen is deploying extra boas, more cameras are being installed and the station area has been designated as a safety risk area. But more control and higher penalties are often a response to insecurity, not the solution, he believes.
The feeling of safety in the neighborhood is under pressure, Koops notes: “I like living here, but I catch myself regularly checking my doorbell camera. In our neighborhood app, people share reports almost every day of people wandering through the street, sitting next to cars or looking inside for too long. It does not necessarily make the neighborhood less safe, but the feeling does change.”
According to Koops, the underlying causes must be looked at. “There are many healthcare institutions, day care centers and guidance programs in this area. That attracts people, but it also creates pressure. As a municipality, you are unintentionally organizing a ticking time bomb. This needs to change, such as better distribution.”