Pressure is mounting on Dutch public transport firms not to fine season ticket holders who forget to check in with their smart cards, news agency ANP reports on Thursday.

MPs from the two ruling parties told the AD they do not believe that paying passengers should be penalised and treated as if they are fare dodgers. They want junior transport minister Wilma Mansveld to take action.

Earlier this week, passenger organisation Rover and the consumers’ association Consumentenbond published legal research suggesting the fines are illegal because travellers have paid to use the tram or train even if they have not swiped their card at the start of their journey.