Penalty Fare Notice with incorrect fare notice number preventing payment

[RichardD]

My daughter received a penalty fare notice for travelling without a ticket 3 weeks ago. She since tried to pay the penalty fare through the online system, but kept getting a message saying her penalty notice number was not recognised and to try again later. She kept trying to do this without success.

As a result of the non-payment, today I received a letter from GWR notifying me that she hadn't paid the penalty notice and thus the price had gone up. When I spoke to her about this (as it was the first I had heard about it), she admitted that she'd tried to fix it herself as she was embarrassed about the situation, but still was unable to pay it as the system kept saying that her penalty notice didn't exist.

When I check the penalty notice and compared the number to the one that was given on the letter I received today, I noticed that they were 2 different numbers, and so there was no way that she would have been able to pay the fine within the initial 21 days.

I have tried ringing GWR and their prosecutions department, however have been unable to get through (the phone just says they are unable to answer my call and hangs up automatically), so my question is what should I do at this point ? Try to contact them through old fashioned means and send a written letter or email, or try going through their facebook/Twitter paths ? Or, should I just ignore it as it's their mistake in not recording the penalty notice number correctly ?

 

[Bertie the bus]

Or, should I just ignore it as it's their mistake in not recording the penalty notice number correctly ?

Your daughter will probably be prosecuted if you do. The fare, the original one and the penalty one, hasn’t been paid. I will leave it to others to discuss whether your daughter should have tried to get the matter resolved earlier when she knew there was a problem but ignoring it now wouldn’t be sensible.

 

[RichardD]

Yes, that's why I'm trying to resolve it now - my main issue is that she shouldn't have to pay the higher penalty due to the time lapse if she was physically unable to do it because their systems were wrong. For someone who isn't as persistent as I am, it's very difficult to find out how to contact GWR to ask about resolving the issue as their are no contact phone numbers or email addresses on the penalty notice form.

 

[Clip]

0345 700 0125 is their customer contact number - give them a bell

 

[robbeech]

The original penalty fare is certainly due as unless there are justified reasons as to why there was no ticket purchased then the offence has been comitted it seems you both accept that though. Try and drop them a message on Twitter and see how they respond, they might have a different contact number for you.
If the increased amount is affordable, in order to stop things progressing further causing additional hassle it might be worth considering paying it and then claiming it back despite you feeling you shouldn’t have to. That decision (along with all other decisions) is yours though.

 

[Hadders]

I would pay the increased amount to prevent the matter from escalating and then attempt to recover the additional amount paid.

I’d start with a letter sent recorded delivery to FGW’s registered office.

 

[gray1404]

Yes, pay the increased amount to avoid it going further. Then complain after.

 

[furlong]

Do not ignore it - the situation will not go away.
(You might be outside the appeal window, but various parts of the GWR network don't appear to comply with the regulations that apply to Penalty Fares, so there might still be circumstances in which the notice would be unenforceable if you did some research.)

 

[furlong]

Under the regulations:

the collector must provide that person with the following information in writing at the time the penalty fare is charged—
...
(i) an explanation of how the penalty fare may be paid;
...

Look closely at the explanation provided. If it was untrue then you might be able to argue the PF is unenforceable. (This is very specific - the word 'must' is used, and it refers to paying the specific penalty fare issued. If you have to phone up to find out the reference number to use, it should state that you must do that.)

 

[island]

Post a cheque for the original amount to them with a covering letter saying that as the number was incorrect you have not been able to pay until now and trust that this will be the end of the matter.

 

[najaB]

Post a cheque for the original amount to them with a covering letter saying that as the number was incorrect you have not been able to pay until now and trust that this will be the end of the matter.

I'm not sure that will be sufficient now. If the letter had been postmarked two days inside the payment window then I would agree.

 

[RPI]

Once the 21 days has passed the penalty fare notice is cancelled and the matter reported for prosecution for non payment of the original Anytime fare for the original journey, if no appeal within the 21 days then any discrepancy with the original notice could be irrelevant as it's no longer a penalty fare issue. With GWR you can pay penalty fares at any GWR ticket office, online or by post.

 

[swt_passenger]

Once the 21 days has passed the penalty fare notice is cancelled and the matter reported for prosecution for non payment of the original Anytime fare for the original journey, if no appeal within the 21 days then any discrepancy with the original notice could be irrelevant as it's no longer a penalty fare issue. With GWR you can pay penalty fares at any GWR ticket office, online or by post.

Would any of those 3 options be able to deal quickly and satisfactorily with the wrong number?