Ticket fine

So, I was going to uni from London and I got my ticket. All the time I get my ticket, it’s always e-ticket, so I didn’t bother checking my ticket to know what type of ticket it is. Now, tickets are checking the tickets and I brought out my ticket and I found out it them tickets that needs to be collected at the machine . So, I explained to the ticket guy and he asked for my name first, i was put on the spot, so I couldn’t think, I gave my real name and surname. Then it’s dob and address so I gave the wrong dob and wrong address( though it’s an address of where I used to live) he then goes on to say it’s fine ‘I’ll give you this fine now, but don’t worry, all you need to do is, when you get to the destination , collect the ticket from the machine, snap it and send it to this website and explain the situation’. I’ve done that now, and was expecting response for about a week. Now the outcome is here and it says the appeal has been decline. Now they have my real name and my email account. What do I do?

Reply 1

martin7

20

Original post by Lann.ox

So, I was going to uni from London and I got my ticket. All the time I get my ticket, it’s always e-ticket, so I didn’t bother checking my ticket to know what type of ticket it is. Now, tickets are checking the tickets and I brought out my ticket and I found out it them tickets that needs to be collected at the machine . So, I explained to the ticket guy and he asked for my name first, i was put on the spot, so I couldn’t think, I gave my real name and surname. Then it’s dob and address so I gave the wrong dob and wrong address( though it’s an address of where I used to live) he then goes on to say it’s fine ‘I’ll give you this fine now, but don’t worry, all you need to do is, when you get to the destination , collect the ticket from the machine, snap it and send it to this website and explain the situation’. I’ve done that now, and was expecting response for about a week. Now the outcome is here and it says the appeal has been decline. Now they have my real name and my email account. What do I do?

A ticket inspector can't issue a fine -- only a court can issue a fine.

Were you actually given a "penalty fare"? It should tell you on any paperwork that was given to you at the time.

Reply 2

Lann.ox

OP

1

Yeah I was

Reply 3

martin7

20

Original post by Lann.ox

Yeah I was

From a legal point of view, you need to have a ticket at the point that you boarded the train (unless there was no method of purchasing a ticket at the station at which you boarded the train). (Byelaws 17 & 18)

You didn't have a ticket to show the ticket inspector, so you've been issued with a penalty fare.

Under this circumstance you are legally required to provide your name and address when requested (Byelaw 23).

Yes, it seems unfair that you've paid for your ticket (but not collected it) and are being charged a penalty fare. But these are "strict liability" offences; a prosecution would not need to show that you intended to travel without a ticket, simply that you did not produce one on request.

My advice would be to pay the penalty fare and chalk it up to experience.

That said, you might want to consider asking the advice of the good folks of the Disputes & Prosecutions forum at RailUKforums. They can help with the wording of a second appeal (I believe you can appeal up to three times against a penalty fare) and may be able to advise whether there are any procedural issues which might render the penalty fare invalid.

[Note: The references to "Byelaws" above are to the railway byelaws, which you can find at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/railway-byelaws/railway-byelaws]

Ticket fine

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