Awaiting a letter from unbought ticket

[SMcM]

Hi all,

This morning I was in a complete rush to board my train for work at Wokingham where they now have no barriers to get through. The ticket machines and windows were packed with students and other people waiting for tickets.

I proceeded to get on the train without a ticket as I knew there would be a ticket inspector. I waited for the inspector to come to me as I was not at the back but in the last carriage. One stop had gone and he had not reached me, but once he got to me after one stop I was then stopped and questioned regarding not having the ticket.

I was told I would receive a letter after one month and to respond to it immediately. The return journey would have cost me £2.80 and I had intended to grab the inspector as he walked past.

Does anyone reckon this could end up in court? Or to what the letter might consist of? I am hoping for a fine and to be able to pay this off quickly.

Cheers

 

[ian959]

Well it could end up in court but the likelihood is that it will not get that far unless you have previously come to the attention of whichever TOC you were caught by as a fare evader.

As you likely know, boarding a train without first having bought a ticket is an offence under the Railway Byelaws. Your running late and rushing to get to the train, nor the ticket machines and windows being packed mitigate this responsibility.

Most likely you will get a letter requesting you to confirm your version of events, and your response will be considered with respect of what further action is required. You should stick to the facts without opinion or embellishment with unnecessary stuff in explaining your actions, apologise sincerely and offer to settle the matter out of court.

Most likely you will be looking at a Byelaw 18(1) offence which at least does not come with a criminal record and is a strict liability offence meaning that your failure to show a ticket is all the proof that the TOC requires to gain a conviction.

Most TOCs will prefer to settle out of court rather than go to court.

Of course, if you have a prior history or the TOC does not accept your version of events, they may pursue a Regulation of Railways Act prosecution which DOES come with a criminal record if convicted. However since the burden of proof is higher for such a prosecution, the TOC would want to have plenty of substantial evidence to pursue such a prosecution.

 

[SMcM]

Thanks for the advice, I will just wait on the letter and I will aim to be apologetic and offer to pay admin/fare fee's etc whilst not trying too hard to excuse myself of this stupid mistake.

I hope this letter comes quickly as the suspense is not a fun feeling - but it's a lesson learnt

Thanks

 

[tony6499]

Is there anything else happened or something you haven't said as it seems strange that you weren't given a penalty fare for this ?

 

[ollyrogers]

Was this on First Great Western or Southwest Trains? On the last two occasions I have gone through from Crowthorne back to London I have bought on board both times with no questions asked (due to the TVMs not accepting cash, so I had a backup if challenged).

 

[SMcM]

Nothing else happened - rushed onto the train in the last carriage, I knew the ticket officer would be at the back, thought he was making his way through to the second set of doors where I was with wallet ready to buy a ticket from him. He said no and asked for my details and asked questions. We passed Crowthorne and it was before sandhurst he started questioning me. I should have gone to look for him, but 8 in the morning is busy with all the kids and other work commuters so I waited where I was as I knew he'd get down to my end. But turned out he wasn't a ticket inspector.

And yea, it's the FGW train from reading to Gatwick or something.

 

[cuccir]

Was this on First Great Western or Southwest Trains? On the last two occasions I have gone through from Crowthorne back to London I have bought on board both times with no questions asked (due to the TVMs not accepting cash, so I had a backup if challenged).

Was Crowthorne's ticket office shut at the time (it is only open 06:45-10:30 on a weekday)?

Wokingham's ticket office is open for much longer and this might explain why SMcM was treated differently - if the ticket office was open then even if a TVM didn't have a preferred means of payment, there's a clear option for buying. Either way, that a company/member of staff might sometimes show discretion does not mean that they always will.

 

[furlong]

This morning I was in a complete rush to board my train for work at Wokingham where they now have no barriers to get through. The ticket machines and windows were packed with students and other people waiting for tickets.

How long before the departure of your train did you arrive at the station?
Did you attempt to queue? If so, for how long? Did you tell the inspector this at the time? (Will CCTV back up your answer?) There are standards for the maximum amount of time you should have to queue, and if these are breached the train company is supposed to make alternative arrangements for you to buy your ticket without involving your missing a train for which you arrived in good time and allowed adequate time to queue for a ticket.

Were you issued with a copy of any paperwork at the time and if so, what does it say?

 

[SMcM]

I was at the train station barely 1 minute before departure, not great but I was in a rush and was staying in a travelodge as this isn't my usual station.

I did attempt to queue at an outside machine with one person whereas indoor the other two and ticket office had more people in the queues.

I was not issued a copy of the paperwork, the man simply wrote it down in a blue handbook.

I accept liability as I should have found the inspector, but had the train been quieter I might have moved down the aisle rather than wait for him to reach me. Not sure if anybody has been on the train at this time, it is full with farnborough and guildford college students.

However, it's done now, I shall let you know what my letter says when it comes through, just hoping it is not too bad in relation to what has happened.

 

[furlong]

I was at the train station barely 1 minute before departure, not great but I was in a rush

So for future reference, what I think the train companies expect you to do in such circumstances is to approach the guard before boarding to seek permission to buy your ticket from him or her (or at your destination if for any reason this doesn't happen). In the interests of good customer service, you should expect such permission to be granted if the alternative would delay you by half-an-hour through waiting for the next service.

 

[island]

That approach itself is fraught with difficulties. We have had at least one report of an incident where the guard was asked that question, said yes and told the passenger to take a seat, and then approached the passenger and offered only undiscounted Anytime fares "I told you that you can buy a ticket on board, which is correct, and the ticket types you can buy are restricted as you chose not to buy at your starting station".

I would also not like to be arriving at my destination without any ticket in the event that the guard did not get to you, or was non-commercial.

Far more reliable would be to simply arrive a little earlier or buy a ticket the previous day, which facility is available at most stations.

 

[ollyrogers]

Was Crowthorne's ticket office shut at the time (it is only open 06:45-10:30 on a weekday)?

I think one was a Friday morning and one was a Saturday morning, so quite probably on the Friday yes it would've been open - however I was on the Reading bound platform and don't know the area that well so I didn't realise there would be an office on the adjacent platform (I assume that's where it is located, as Reading-bound just had the TVM and a shelter). Thankyou for the heads up so I can avoid any potential situations like the OP next time!!