"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...
In message 01ca5720$d8b522c0$LocalHost@default, at 16:20:58 on Tue, 27
Oct 2009, Michael R N Dolbear quoted DfT thus:

In terms of their success rate, private prosecutions appear on the
whole to be highly effective in using the legal system to tackle fare
evasion.

Just as the police are not automatically the investigators of all crimes
[1], the CPS isn't the only prosecutor either.

It also used to be the case (not sure of current status) that "Car Tax"
evaders were also prosecuted privately, in that case by people employed in
regional DVLA offices.

[1] As a trivial but robust example, HMR&C investigates tax evasion.

All prosecutions are under the approval of the CPS. They may do nothing
and a prosecution can be made by others,
but the CPS can stop a private prosecution if they feel that it is not in
the public interest.
This unfortunately has made the courts more political than when the police
instigated proceedings.