Ticket Irregularity report- help please!!!!

[olivia98625]

Hi, I was travelling from 1 station to another on a child ticket when i am 17. my ticket wouldn’t scan so the woman did then asked my age then gave me a ticket irregularity report. she was highly rude and this is not the first time i have done this, in which she took a photo of but i have never been caught. does anyone have any advice on what will happen next?

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Welcome to the forum!

If the railway have your contact details (either because you gave them or because you bought your ticket online so you gave them when you opened your account) you (or your parents as you are 17) will get a letter in the next six months or so. If you are lucky, it will ask you to explain what happened and you then may have get the chance to pay the fare you dodged plus an 'admin charge' of something like £150.

If you are less lucky the railway may have found out about previous times when you fare dodged. This (or if you don't co-operate) may lead to you being prosecuted in court which may cost more.

But until the railway writes to you, you don't know what they will do. So for the moment, make detailed notes of everything that happened (it's surprisingly easy to forget details) but then wait for the letter. Then if you would like us to help you reply, come back to this thread and we'll try to help.

 

[Hadders]

Welcome to the forum!

We need to know which train company you are dealing with as different train companies deal with this sort of thing in different ways.

 

[John R]

You may want to think about (ie check your account) how many other online child tickets you have purchased since turning 16, as they could come after you for all these incorrectly purchased tickets.

 

[olivia98625]

Welcome to the forum!

We need to know which train company you are dealing with as different train companies deal with this sort of thing in different ways.

Transpennine Express

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Dec 2023 ==

You may want to think about (ie check your account) how many other online child tickets you have purchased since turning 16, as they could come after you for all these incorrectly purchased tickets.

even if it is a different rail company?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Dec 2023 ==

Welcome to the forum!

If the railway have your contact details (either because you gave them or because you bought your ticket online so you gave them when you opened your account) you (or your parents as you are 17) will get a letter in the next six months or so. If you are lucky, it will ask you to explain what happened and you then may have get the chance to pay the fare you dodged plus an 'admin charge' of something like £150.

If you are less lucky the railway may have found out about previous times when you fare dodged. This (or if you don't co-operate) may lead to you being prosecuted in court which may cost more.

But until the railway writes to you, you don't know what they will do. So for the moment, make detailed notes of everything that happened (it's surprisingly easy to forget details) but then wait for the letter. Then if you would like us to help you reply, come back to this thread and we'll try to help.

thank you, if i have to go to court will i get a criminal record?

 

[Elecman]

On your last 2 points the answers are Yes and depends which offence you are charged with, however if you cooperate with Transpennine Express when they write to you and are contrite with them you will probably be offered an Out of Court Settlement of the full Single ticket fare for each single journey (2 singles for each return journey) without any allowance for what you have already paid you made along with an additional settlement fee of around£150 which if you pay will stop court action

 

[olivia98625]

On your last 2 points the answers are Yes and depends which offence you are charged with, however if you cooperate with Transpennine Express when they write to you and are contrite with them you will probably be offered an Out of Court Settlement of the full Single ticket fare for each single journey (2 singles for each return journey) without any allowance for what you have already paid you made along with an additional settlement fee of around£150 which if you pay will stop court action

thank you for the advice, what is some of the things i should say when i get a letter through?

 

[Hadders]

Transpennine Express

Thanks for confirming.

As you're probably now aware travelling with a child ticket when you're 17 is a criminal offence. Transpennine Express are one of the more pragmatic train companies when it comes to dealing with this sort of thing. It should be sortable but it will cost you a bit of time, effort and money. If you haven't already done so, I suggest telling your parents about this as you'll probably need their help in sorting it.

Transpennine Express will write to you saying that they have received a report and are considering prosecuting. The letter normally takes a few weeks to arrive. As you're under 18 it's possible that the letter will be addressed to 'the parents or guardian of...' It's important that you engage with, and reply to this letter. Don't ignore it think the matter will go away because it won't. I suggest you write a short, concise reply mentioning the following points:

- That you are sorry for what has happened
- What you have learned from the incident
- That you are keen to settle the matter without the need for court action
- Offer to pay the outstanding fare and the train company's administrative costs in dealing with the matter

Transpennine Express are normally willing to offer an administrative settlement (commonly known as an out of court settlement) for people who engage with the process and who haven't come to their attention before. There is no guarantee of this and they are within their rights to prosecute you in the magistrates court should they decide to do so (although given your age prosecution is highly unlikely).

Transpennine Express are able to research your online ticket purchasing history so they might well ask you about other child rate tickets you've purchased since you turned 16. You should be truthful in your reply to them and answer the questions they ask you but you aren't required to incriminate yourself either.

If you are offered a settlement the amount tends to be around £150 pounds plus the outstanding fare. Be prepared for the outstanding fare to be calculated using teh full Anytime price with no account taken for the child ticket you bought. Given your age it might be that the admin fee they charge is lower. An out of court settlement might appear to be a fine, but it isn't and you won't have a criminal record as a result of accepting one.

Feel free to post a copy of the letter once it arrives (with personal details redacted) along with your draft reply in this thread and forum members will be happy to proof read it for you.

Finally, I suggest purchasing a 16-17 Saver Railcard as this will give you 50% off rail fares until you turn 18 (when you can then get 34% discount if you buy a 16-25 railcard). If you do buy one of these railcard you might want to mention it in your reply.

 

[olivia98625]

Thanks for confirming.

As you're probably now aware travelling with a child ticket when you're 17 is a criminal offence. Transpennine Express are one of the more pragmatic train companies when it comes to dealing with this sort of thing. It should be sortable but it will cost you a bit of time, effort and money. If you haven't already done so, I suggest telling your parents about this as you'll probably need their help in sorting it.

Transpennine Express will write to you saying that they have received a report and are considering prosecuting. The letter normally takes a few weeks to arrive. As you're under 18 it's possible that the letter will be addressed to 'the parents or guardian of...' It's important that you engage with, and reply to this letter. Don't ignore it think the matter will go away because it won't. I suggest you write a short, concise reply mentioning the following points:

- That you are sorry for what has happened
- What you have learned from the incident
- That you are keen to settle the matter without the need for court action
- Offer to pay the outstanding fare and the train company's administrative costs in dealing with the matter

Transpennine Express are normally willing to offer an administrative settlement (commonly known as an out of court settlement) for people who engage with the process and who haven't come to their attention before. There is no guarantee of this and they are within their rights to prosecute you in the magistrates court should they decide to do so (although given your age prosecution is highly unlikely).

Transpennine Express are able to research your online ticket purchasing history so they might well ask you about other child rate tickets you've purchased since you turned 16. You should be truthful in your reply to them and answer the questions they ask you but you aren't required to incriminate yourself either.

If you are offered a settlement the amount tends to be around £150 pounds plus the outstanding fare. Be prepared for the outstanding fare to be calculated using teh full Anytime price with no account taken for the child ticket you bought. Given your age it might be that the admin fee they charge is lower. An out of court settlement might appear to be a fine, but it isn't and you won't have a criminal record as a result of accepting one.

Feel free to post a copy of the letter once it arrives (with personal details redacted) along with your draft reply in this thread and forum members will be happy to proof read it for you.

Finally, I suggest purchasing a 16-17 Saver Railcard as this will give you 50% off rail fares until you turn 18 (when you can then get 34% discount if you buy a 16-25 railcard). If you do buy one of these railcard you might want to mention it in your reply.

thank you for the advice. i told my parents as soon as it happened. when i get the letter will they tell me i need to reply or do i take it upon myself to reply? they also accused me of already using my ticket that morning, to which i proved that i had bought for that train. she then got very rude with me. am i more likely to get an out of court settlement or have to go to court?

 

[Hadders]

thank you for the advice. i told my parents as soon as it happened. when i get the letter will they tell me i need to reply or do i take it upon myself to reply? they also accused me of already using my ticket that morning, to which i proved that i had bought for that train. she then got very rude with me. am i more likely to get an out of court settlement or have to go to court?

We really need to see exactly what the letter says to be able to say who should respond and the sort of things you would say.

It sounds as though your encounter with the inspector became 'heated'. That's not normally good although on balance I would expect a settlement to be offered, unless there's more to the incident than what you've told us.

Post up a copy of the letter in this thread when it arrives (but do cover up any personal details before you do) and we can advise how to respond.

 

[MotCO]

In addition to all the good advice above, you may also want to think about saving up for 'out of Court settlement' if it's offered. You will probably not get much notice to make the payment, and you will not be able to pay by instalments.

Also, if you buy a 16-17 railcard, please make a note or alert of its expiry date - if you encounter ticket inspectors again without a valid ticket (a ticket without a railcard is not a valid ticket) you will not be treated so leniently.

Lastly, please engage with the process - do not ignore it or it will snowball.

 

[olivia98625]

We really need to see exactly what the letter says to be able to say who should respond and the sort of things you would say.

It sounds as though your encounter with the inspector became 'heated'. That's not normally good although on balance I would expect a settlement to be offered, unless there's more to the incident than what you've told us.

Post up a copy of the letter in this thread when it arrives (but do cover up any personal details before you do) and we can advise how to respond.

it may have got heated on her side but i was never once rude to her and always kept my calm. she didn’t believe that i hadn’t already reused my ticket and accused me of using it in the morning when i bought it at 3:50pm. because of this, i have no idea if she has reported me for both offences or for just using a child ticket. i am very stressed and worried and don’t know what to do

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Dec 2023 ==

In addition to all the good advice above, you may also want to think about saving up for 'out of Court settlement' if it's offered. You will probably not get much notice to make the payment, and you will not be able to pay by instalments.

Also, if you buy a 16-17 railcard, please make a note or alert of its expiry date - if you encounter ticket inspectors again without a valid ticket (a ticket without a railcard is not a valid ticket) you will not be treated so leniently.

Lastly, please engage with the process - do not ignore it or it will snowball.

i am considering buying the railcard. in my reply do you think this will help me get an out of court settlement?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Dec 2023 ==

anyone with any other advice it would be really appreciated to help put my mind at some ease

 

[MotCO]

i am considering buying the railcard. in my reply do you think this will help me get an out of court settlement?

Yes definitely if you buy one. It will show that you have learnt your lesson and will not buy discounted tickets inappropriately in the future.

 

[Titfield]

Try not to worry about this. From what we see reported on this website (with the exception of Transport for London cases) most cases are resolved with an out of court settlement providing that the "passenger" engages with the Train Operating Company and does not have a history of fare evasion.

Do buy a railcard as this demonstrates an intention to comply with the fare rules and regulations going forward.

 

[olivia98625]

any help would be greatly appreciated on what to reply, and does it have to come from my mums perspective as the letter was addressed to her?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Dec 2023 ==

We really need to see exactly what the letter says to be able to say who should respond and the sort of things you would say.

It sounds as though your encounter with the inspector became 'heated'. That's not normally good although on balance I would expect a settlement to be offered, unless there's more to the incident than what you've told us.

Post up a copy of the letter in this thread when it arrives (but do cover up any personal details before you do) and we can advise how to respond.

 

[Hadders]

If the letter was addressed to your mum then the reply should come from her. The points you should cover are mentioned in my posy #8 above.

Do post up a draft of the reply in this thread and we can proof read it for you.