South Western Railway (SWR) has launched a data-led operation against "short-faring," where passengers buy tickets for only part of their journey to avoid paying the full fare. The scheme has helped cut fare evasion by 67 per cent since 2017, but short-faring remains a persistent problem, particularly between Vauxhall and London Waterloo. SWR runs regular services from Devon, including Exeter St Davids, Axminster and Honiton, to London Waterloo. The train firm estimates that up to 95 per cent of barcode tickets used on that route are fraudulent, risking up to £1 million in lost revenue. A targeted trial launched at London Waterloo in June identified 153 short-faring offences in just four weeks.