Expired railcard

[msc2001]

Hi all, I have messed up with an expired railcard and am now worried having read this forum.

I purchased a physical ticket from a machine last week with a 26-30 discount. This was travelling from Bedford to London on thameslink

Inspector in the train asked to see railcard which I couldnt do due to not having phone with me.

I have since discovered railcard has expired a couple months back and I can therefore not comply with request to submit proof as requested by the ticket they issued me.

Should I contact them proactively or wait for the letter?

thanks

 

[John R]

You need to wait to hear from them.

GTR is pretty pragmatic, but you are likely to have to pay for a new full price ticket, together with an admin fee of around £150 (maybe slightly less as GTR tends to be slightly kinder for straightforward offences).

Provided you engage in a cooperative manner when they write to you then you should avoid a prosecution, but I would advise you to ensure that if you reply by post that you send it “signed for” to ensure you have proof of delivery. (If you reply by email it’s obviously not an issue.)

 

[msc2001]

Thank you for you reply.

Given the railcard was a couple months expired and I travelled a few times in that period will they trace that if I had a physical ticket? And will they be able to find out when I last had a valid railcard?

This was the first time I had been checked in that time hence not knowing the card had expired...

 

[jfollows]

Given the railcard was a couple months expired and I travelled a few times in that period will they trace that if I had a physical ticket? And will they be able to find out when I last had a valid railcard?

What sort of tickets did you buy during the period and how did you buy them?

 

[msc2001]

What sort of tickets did you buy during the period and how did you buy them?

They were day returns and always at ticket machines with a card

 

[Hadders]

Welcome to the forum!

GTR will write to you in the next few weeks saying they have received a report, threatening to prosecute but giving you the opportunity to give your version of events before deciding how to proceed. GTR normally offer an out of court settlement to people who co-operate which will probably cost around £150 plus the outstanding fare.

Post up a copy of the letter in this thread, when it arrives (but do redact any personal details before doing so), along with your draft reply and we will be happy to proof read it for you.

I doubt GTR will research your ticket purchasing history if you've purchased your tickets through a ticket machine.

 

[msc2001]

Welcome to the forum!

GTR will write to you in the next few weeks saying they have received a report, threatening to prosecute but giving you the opportunity to give your version of events before deciding how to proceed. GTR normally offer an out of court settlement to people who co-operate which will probably cost around £150 plus the outstanding fare.

Post up a copy of the letter in this thread, when it arrives (but do redact any personal details before doing so), along with your draft reply and we will be happy to proof read it for you.

I doubt GTR will research your ticket purchasing history if you've purchased your tickets through a ticket machine.

Thank you for your steer, I shall await the letter and come back then

 

[rsharma45]

Hey! Did you receive your letter yet? Curious as I am in a similar position and want to know how long I will have to wait

 

[Puffing Devil]

Hey! Did you receive your letter yet? Curious as I am in a similar position and want to know how long I will have to wait

Forum Rules: 1 thread per person. Everyone's case is different. Please start your own thread with details of your own situation for the best help.

 

[msc2001]

Hi all,

I have now received my letter. It won't let me upload it as it says the file is too big so I have copied the text:

On... your details were taken by a Revenue Protection Inspector at...

This letter is to inform you of our intention to take this case to the Magistrates Court and on the reverse it provides you with the opportunity to tell us what happened from your point of view. Information should be both factual and honest.

Travel fraud costs the rail industry over £240 million per year and Govia Thameslink Railway has a zero tolerance approach to fare evasion on our network. We always ask that the courts impose the maximum penalty for offenders, which can include the following:

A Criminal Record
Fine of up to £1000
Prison Sentence
Suspended Sentence
Community Service
Compensation
Costs

You must reply to this letter within 14 days of the above date including the reference above or any correspondence. We DO NOT accept any appeal over the phone, any correspondence MUST be sent in writing.

Please DO NOT send any money with your reply.


This is my proposed response:

Dear x

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to reply to your letter.

On the date mentioned above I was unable to show your officer my 26-30 railcard when asked due to my phone being out of battery. However when returning home I discovered my card had in fact expired and I was therefore unable to submit evidence of possessing a valid card to your office.

I am deeply sorry for my error. I should have checked my railcard before buying the ticket that day. I realise this is unfair on other customers who pay the correct fare and costs the rail company legitimate revenue.

I have of course bought the correct ticket since the incident and have also invested in a Network Rail card for off peak travel.

I would be grateful if you would consider offering me the opportunity to settle this matter out of court. I will pay the full price of the fare owed and any additional administrative costs you have incurred in dealing with this matter.

I apologise again for my mistake, which I have learnt from, and I hope we can reach an agreement.

Regards
X

Ok?

 

[Hadders]

Overall the letter is fine. Couple of things you might want to change:

1. The bit about purchasing correct tickets - make it clear that these tickets are for future travel, not a ticket you purchased to rectify the issue on the day.
2. Network Railcard - are you no longer entitled to a 26-30 railcard?

 

[MotCO]

Put a reminder on your phone to renew the Network card before it expires. The chances are no-one else will remind you.

 

[msc2001]

Overall the letter is fine. Couple of things you might want to change:

1. The bit about purchasing correct tickets - make it clear that these tickets are for future travel, not a ticket you purchased to rectify the issue on the day.
2. Network Railcard - are you no longer entitled to a 26-30 railcard?

Thanks.

And on point 2 yes that is correct. Maybe best to just not mention it?

Thanks

Rob

 

[Hadders]

Maybe best to just not mention it?

Agreed!

 

[timiokusz]

Hi I was going from King’s Cross to Stevenage on the 5th April 2024 and at potters bar I got asked for my railcard. I could not produce it at the time as it had expired and I told the officer my mum had it and she was going to send it. The officer said if I could produce one before the end of the day it would be fine. He gave me an email GTR prosecutions and I emailed them my railcard as I bought one on the same day. It says to expire 4th april2025 and then on 31st may I got a letter but I was Watson couldn’t open it. What do I do and what is going to happen.

 

[signed]

Hi I was going from King’s Cross to Stevenage on the 5th April 2024 and at potters bar I got asked for my railcard. I could not produce it at the time as it had expired and I told the officer my mum had it and she was going to send it. The officer said if I could produce one before the end of the day it would be fine. He gave me an email GTR prosecutions and I emailed them my railcard as I bought one on the same day. It says to expire 4th april2025 and then on 31st may I got a letter but I was Watson couldn’t open it. What do I do and what is going to happen.

Please post a new thread please, all cases are different

 

[timiokusz]

Please post a new thread please, all cases are different

How do I do that?

 

[MotCO]

How do I do that?

Go to the Forums tab, select Disputes & Prosecutions, and select Post Thread