The Student Room Group

What can I do regarding this bus fine?

A couple of weeks ago I was on the bus and inspectors came on and took me off for not having my 16-18 photocard. I sent off for it, but they gave me the fine anyway. I have it now, if I show them it will they cancel the fine? They're going to "take it to court" because I got a letter today saying that my £25 fine has gone up to £50. How do they expect me to pay it, I'm a 17 year old girl with no freaking job, and I'm not about to beg my mom for money because she can just about afford to pay for the bare necessities.

I have my photocard now, do you think they will cancel the fine if I send them a letter with proof of that. What can I do to get them to cancel the fine? I did nothing wrong to be honest. The company is national express.

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Reply 1
Original post by TammieNo5
A couple of weeks ago I was on the bus and inspectors came on and took me off for not having my 16-18 photocard. I sent off for it, but they gave me the fine anyway. I have it now, if I show them it will they cancel the fine? They're going to "take it to court" because I got a letter today saying that my £25 fine has gone up to £50. How do they expect me to pay it, I'm a 17 year old girl with no freaking job, and I'm not about to beg my mom for money because she can just about afford to pay for the bare necessities.

I have my photocard now, do you think they will cancel the fine if I send them a letter with proof of that. What can I do to get them to cancel the fine? I did nothing wrong to be honest. The company is national express.


When you got fined had you already sent off for the photocard? Or did you send off for it after the inspectors saw you?
Reply 2
Unlikely; as you traveled without a valid ticket.

Have you received the letter they send you?
(edited 11 years ago)
Have they actually summonsed you to court? Or have they just threatened court action if you fail to pay the higher fine?
Reply 4
Original post by abc:)
When you got fined had you already sent off for the photocard? Or did you send off for it after the inspectors saw you?


Yes, I'd already sent off for it
Reply 5
Original post by InnerTemple
Have they actually summonsed you to court? Or have they just threatened court action if you fail to pay the higher fine?


They threatened "legal action" and said that this will affect my Credit rating in the future.
Original post by TammieNo5
They threatened "legal action" and said that this will affect my Credit rating in the future.


Yeah it will - if they take you to court it will also be a conviction on your record.

Pay up. The fine is getting off lightly to be honest.
Reply 7
Original post by TammieNo5
Yes, I'd already sent off for it


Then maybe you can do a bit of bargaining but I wouldn't get your hopes up you should be prepared to pay the fine just in case. Technically you should have bought a bus ticket. I doubt they will take you to court though, the courts have more important things to worry about than a bus fine and they normally just say stuff like that to scare.
Reply 8
It's your fault.
It will say when you buy it that you cannot use it until you have it to hand. Just like rail cards.

You shouldn't have risked it. Your fault. Pay up and don't make excuses. If you new you were travelling on NE you should have got one earlier.
If you email them you might be able to get them to lower it to £25 again but you cannot expect them to scrap it.
Reply 9
Original post by InnerTemple
Yeah it will - if they take you to court it will also be a conviction on your record.

Pay up. The fine is getting off lightly to be honest.


If I had the money I would have paid the first time around. Do they expect me to rob a bank? How am I going to get 50 pounds in 14 days, when I have no job, and have been looking for one since September?

The letter says that I'm receiving this fine for having an invalid ticket, but the ticked I was using was valid from the 11th of September to the 31st of December so technically, I don't have to pay a fine for that, because my ticket was very much in date. They're basically giving me a fine for something I didn't do.
OP: Where were you caught (area of country)? Who was the letter sent by? What is the bus company?

Also - what deadline have they given you for paying the fine?
If you had already sent off for it I think you will be fine just appeal
Original post by TammieNo5

The letter says that I'm receiving this fine for having an invalid ticket, but the ticked I was using was valid from the 11th of September to the 31st of December so technically, I don't have to pay a fine for that, because my ticket was very much in date. They're basically giving me a fine for something I didn't do.


Was the ticket discounted? (16-25 railcard, etc) If so, you must carry the appropriate document with you when you travel. Else it's invalid.
Reply 13
Original post by InnerTemple
OP: Where were you caught (area of country)? Who was the letter sent by? What is the bus company?

Also - what deadline have they given you for paying the fine?


The county is west midlands (the bus company is Travel West Midlands)
But I got a letter from national express :confused:

At the time I had 21 days which I didn't know because the guy didn't tell me, I only just read on the letter (I received today) that I had 21 days in which I failed to pay the 25 pounds. Now they're saying I have 14 days to pay 50 pounds.
Reply 14
Original post by OU Student
Was the ticket discounted? (16-25 railcard, etc) If so, you must carry the appropriate document with you when you travel. Else it's invalid.


My college gave me the ticket to use, and I had the replacement card with me (if that's what you mean by appropriate documents) which he didn't ask for. He didn't ask me anything, he just gave me the ticket and said it's not his problem that I hadn't received my photo card yet at the time.
Original post by TammieNo5
If I had the money I would have paid the first time around. Do they expect me to rob a bank? How am I going to get 50 pounds in 14 days, when I have no job, and have been looking for one since September?

The letter says that I'm receiving this fine for having an invalid ticket, but the ticked I was using was valid from the 11th of September to the 31st of December so technically, I don't have to pay a fine for that, because my ticket was very much in date. They're basically giving me a fine for something I didn't do.


You'll have to borrow the money from somebody. If you cannot show your ticket, or the card that should accompany your ticket, it's as good as not having one at all. Sorry but it will be in the T&Cs you agreed to when you ordered it.

Pay the fine; it was a risk to travel and unfortunately it didn't work out, but there is no way of getting out of it because you DID travel with an invalid ticket (as you couldn't show it).

It's Christmas, will you get any money for that?
Reply 16
Original post by xoxAngel_Kxox
You'll have to borrow the money from somebody. If you cannot show your ticket, or the card that should accompany your ticket, it's as good as not having one at all. Sorry but it will be in the T&Cs you agreed to when you ordered it.

Pay the fine; it was a risk to travel and unfortunately it didn't work out, but there is no way of getting out of it because you DID travel with an invalid ticket (as you couldn't show it).

It's Christmas, will you get any money for that?


So will they just take me to court if I don't pay, is that the worst that could happen?
Original post by TammieNo5
So will they just take me to court if I don't pay, is that the worst that could happen?


Well yes, but going to court isn't nice, and you would probably end up with an even bigger fine.
Reply 18
Original post by xoxAngel_Kxox
Well yes, but going to court isn't nice, and you would probably end up with an even bigger fine.


Pfft, great. Thanks for the help anyway, everyone.
Reply 19
Pay the £50. They won't reduce it, or scrap it. Sell something like your ipod or use your Christmas money. I've had to do both before, just learn your lesson and accept the fact you were in the wrong this time, it'll only become a big deal if you don't pay up.