Stepping on to a Birmingham tram and paying the conductor is now a thing of the past.

West Midlands Metro has moved to full enforcement of its new Buy Before You Board rules, and anyone caught without a valid ticket or pass faces a £100 penalty fare.

What has changed on the trams?

Conductors were withdrawn from every Metro service on Sunday, 13 September.

Since then it has not been possible to buy a ticket once you are on board.

Instead, teams of Revenue Officers now patrol the network checking tickets and passes, and most of them are former conductors who have been retrained for the role.

For the first few weeks, those officers focused on explaining the new system and giving advice rather than handing out fines.

That grace period is now over.

The operator says passengers have had time to adjust and that paying customers expect action against people who ride without paying.

Who can get a £100 penalty fare?

Anyone travelling without a valid ticket or pass can be issued a penalty fare.

That includes having a ticket that does not cover the correct time or zones for your journey.

If an officer approaches you, you must be able to show that you have already paid.

How can you pay before boarding?

Every tram stop has a ticket machine that accepts cash, bank cards and contactless payments, including Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Extra machines have been installed at stops to cut queues.

The MyMetro app lets you buy and store tickets on your phone before you travel.

Swift smartcards, including the pay-as-you-go Swift Go option, can still be used, provided they are valid before you step on.

Regular commuters can also choose a monthly Direct Debit loaded on to a Swift photocard, which charges for 13 days of travel and then gives unlimited journeys for the rest of the month.

Why is the Metro making this change?

Metro bosses say conductors often struggled to reach every passenger between stops at busy times.

The new model brings the network into line with most other UK tram and light rail systems.

It also arrives as the Metro continues to grow, with a new high-tech control room opening ahead of the Black Country extension.

For many riders, particularly older passengers used to paying on board, the switch will take some getting used to.

Our advice for Birmingham passengers

Allow an extra minute at the stop to buy a ticket, especially at busy city centre stops such as Grand Central and Bull Street.

Download the app before you need it so you are not caught out by a queue or a card problem.

Check that your ticket covers every zone you are travelling through.

A few seconds of planning is far cheaper than a £100 fine.

Image: Photo by Rahimat Onize Shaibu on Pexels.