The fine for fare dodging is to be doubled from €35 to €70, junior transport minister Wilma Mansveld said on Monday.

The increased fine is aimed at ‘drastically reducing’ the number of fare dodgers travelling on public transport which will improve the safety in buses, trams and trains, Mansveld said.

She thinks a doubling of the fine and the chances of getting caught will make people think twice before travelling without paying, the NRC reports.

The minister said she will evaluate the increased fine in 2017 to see if the number of fare dodgers has fallen.

She is also increasing the administration fee from €10 to €15.

People who genuinely forget to check in before using public transport will be treated in an ‘accommodating’ way, the minister said.