MORE than 200 tram riders have been fined for failing to show a ticket in the month since the controversial ­Edinburgh network opened to passengers.

An average of nine ­passengers a day - 216 in total - have been hit with a "Standard fare" penalty for not presenting a ticket or failing to validate their "Ridacard" smart cards since the £776 million network launched on May 31.

Tram expert Simon Johnson, editor at Tramways & Urban Transit magazine, said the figures were low.

He said: "Nine passengers a day being penalised is not a large number of people."

Tom Norris, director and GM of Edinburgh Trams, said the ticketing system was working. He said: "In the main, we're finding that our passengers have the correct ticket or a validated smart card, which is really positive sign for us at this early stage for the new service."