COMMUTERS fear fines and even prosecution after a train station was left without a ticket machine or vending staff.

Prittlewell train station, on the Greater Anglia line, has been unmanned since the beginning of December due to staff sickness.

The ticket machine is also out of order, with a notice telling customers to pay at the ticket office.

The office has not been open before 9am, meaning commuters have to board trains without a ticket.

Katie Dukes, 22, of Bournemouth Park Road, Southend, commutes to Brentwood every day and did not renew her usual travel pass because of time-off coming up.

She said: “I’ve complained to about four different people and was told the machine should have been fixed weeks ago, but it hasn’t stopped me being threatened with a fine from a ticket inspector.

“Thankfully, there were two others with him who pointed out I couldn't be fined if the ticket machine wasn’t working, and luckily I’d taken pictures on my phone to prove it. If they didn’t speak up, I probably would have got a fine or even been taken to court.

“It’s frustrating to say the least.”

Claire Gavaghan, 46, of Victoria Avenue, Southend, said she also took pictures of the broken machine and shuttered ticket office on her mobile phone because she feared being fined after seeing a sign at the station detailing how many fare dodgers had been caught recently.

A spokesman for Abellio Greater Anglia said: “Because of a short-term sickness problem, we’re sorry the ticket office at Prittlewell station has not been open as scheduled on some recent occasions.

“We are taking steps to resolve this issue as quickly as possible and would like to apologise for any inconvenience this has caused passengers.

“Regarding the existing permit to travel ticket machine at the station, we are also attending to the fault with that equipment.

“Furthermore, we are planning to replace that and invest in a new automatic ticket vending machine for Prittlewell station in 2015 and our intention is to have the new ticket machine installed by the summer.

“The new machine will allow passengers to purchase the full range of train tickets before they travel.”