Another Stansted Airport incident: cautioned for using PAYG beyond the PAYG area

[Filipe]

Moderator note: Split from

Stansted Airport Short Ticket Caution

Last Thursday I travelled from Tottenham Hale and then on to Stansted. My journey started in South London. I tapped in at Tottenham Hale and when I got to Stansted Airport I saw that they did not accept oyster. I went on the trainline app and paid for a ticket from Bishop's Stortford as it was...

www.railforums.co.uk

Last Thursday I travelled from Tottenham Hale and then on to Stansted. My journey started in South London.

I tapped in at Tottenham Hale and when I got to Stansted Airport I saw that they did not accept oyster.

I went on the trainline app and paid for a ticket from Bishop's Stortford as it was the last stop I went through and obviously as it was fairly cheap. My logic was I'd be paying an Oyster max fair for not tapping out so it'd work out about evens.

Obviously, when I tried to use that ticket, the inspector did not agree with that logic. He got his badge out, said it was an interview under caution and would not allow me to pay a penalty fair.

He asked for proof of address. The only thing I had is a drivers license which has an old address on it. I said had no proof of address with current address on it. He said I would not be going through unless I can produce one.

so I didnt miss my flight, I gave him my drivers license and sa that this was not my current address but he wrote it down anyway.

I then immediately emailed greater anglia flagging the address issue and said I don't want to miss whatever letter I should be expecting.

I've never had to pay a penalty fare or anything like that before but wondered what I should be expecting from next steps? And whether just chasing greater anglia to ensure they know about the address issue is the right thing to do?

My ideal outcome is basically pay whatever fine they want to send...

It happened the same, today, to me.
I'm so upset.
People that live in London are used to tap our cards and go to our destinations without thinking about it, then we get a different train company, that makes trips to a low cost airport and they don't work with contactless, hard to don't think, that they are scamming people.
If its not, then we way they are doing things, doesn't look clear to customers.
We should do the job for them, help them in informing customers and post in social media.
Let the people be the judge of this.

 

[Haywain]

People that live in London are used to tap our cards and go to our destinations without thinking about it,

Really? Do you think this applies to all possible journeys from London? You must be aware that there are boundaries for using contactless.

 

[Filipe]

Luton, luton shuttle, also Maidenhead and Windsor are also quite far away from London and yes, you can do it with contactless.

 

[Geswedey]

When I worked at Liverpool Street and in Greater Anglia Control we made sure that every Stansted Express train was advertised on the screens to show Oyster and Contactless payments were not valid beyond Tottenham Hale and there were prominent signs at both Liverpool Street and Tottenham Hale. and that is still the case.

 

[Titfield]

It happened the same, today, to me.
I'm so upset.
People that live in London are used to tap our cards and go to our destinations without thinking about it, then we get a different train company, that makes trips to a low cost airport and they don't work with contactless, hard to don't think, that they are scamming people.
If its not, then we way they are doing things, doesn't look clear to customers.
We should do the job for them, help them in informing customers and post in social media.
Let the people be the judge of this.

1. Contactless is being rolled out to more and more stations in the South East including Stansted Airport eventually. (Project Oval).
2. There are signs and announcements at Tottenham including signs on each of the gates allowing access to the northbound platform.

Thanks to @jon0844 this is how Liverpool Street looks.

 

[Haywain]

Luton, luton shuttle, also Maidenhead and Windsor are also quite far away from London and yes, you can do it with contactless.

So? What distance does it have to be for you to think contactless might not be accepted?

Oh, and contactless is not valid to Luton.

 

[Titfield]

Perhaps a ring drawn around London that takes as its furthest point any airport that uses the name London in its title?

 

[Trainguy34]

Perhaps a ring drawn around London that takes as its furthest point any airport that uses the name London in its title?

Yippee, Canterbury, Chichester, Newbury, Winchester, Oxford and more get within 60 miles of London, the same as London Ashford Airport in Lydd!

 

[47421]

When I worked at Liverpool Street and in Greater Anglia Control we made sure that every Stansted Express train was advertised on the screens to show Oyster and Contactless payments were not valid beyond Tottenham Hale

Yes, incorrectly in the case of the 8 or so peak services that stop Cheshunt

 

[boiledbeans2]

When I worked at Liverpool Street and in Greater Anglia Control we made sure that every Stansted Express train was advertised on the screens to show Oyster and Contactless payments were not valid beyond Tottenham Hale and there were prominent signs at both Liverpool Street and Tottenham Hale. and that is still the case.

I agree. I've been to Tottenham Hale recently, and there were very obvious signs with No Oyster to Stansted, as well as automated announcements on this issue playing on the platform.

 

[PeterC]

Really? Do you think this applies to all possible journeys from London? You must be aware that there are boundaries for using contactless.

Why would anybody without local knowledge expect Stansted to be different to the other main London airports?

I know from working in other fields that, however big you make a notice or however many times you make an announcement it just won't register with a significant minority.

 

[700720]

No, I don't think Greater Anglia are "scamming people". They have put in a huge effort to make it clear that you cannot use Oyster or Contactless to the airport. Again and again, we see people complaining about this despite the massive signs at Liv St and Tottenham Hale including on the Comtactless scanners themselves! Plus announcements on the trains. If you cannot take that hint, I think £50 isn't too unfair.

 

[Geswedey]

It is 5 years since I retired but I am pretty sure we posted not valid beyond Cheshunt or Broxbourne as appropriate on the screens then.