Penalty for purchasing ticket on train

[codejack]

Hi, I was hoping to get your input on what might happen here

KGX -> CMB : Thameslink

I purchased a return ticket to CMB but forgot that my old recently expired railcard (job centre) was still selected and boarded the train with this ticket.

While on the train revenue protection came through to check tickets and when I saw mine was the incorrect railcard panicked and bought the correct ticket with my 26-30 railcard (valid).

The officer called me out on the ticket just being purchased and issued me with a witness statement and said they would be in contact. I understand this is technically valid because I didn't have a valid ticket before boarding.

This is the first time I’ve made this mistake and have never been fined before.

What happens from this point? Do you think its likely they would accept out of court settlement?

Appreciate any advice thanks!

 

[AlterEgo]

The first thing you should do is find evidence of your expired Jobcentre Plus discount card, including when it expired. The company will audit all your online ticket purchases and find out how many tickets you’ve been buying with the JCP card and will want to see proof of the previous entitlement. That’s because the JCP card gives the deepest discount and it’s routinely abused, and they’ll certainly suspect you knew what you were doing given you purchased a new ticket when you saw the inspector.

 

[codejack]

Thanks for the reply

Do you know how they would ask for that evidence of my JCP card? A separate letter Or is it something I would just reply to the NIP letter with, when it comes

 

[AlterEgo]

Thanks for the reply

Do you know how they would ask for that evidence of my JCP card? A separate letter Or is it something I would just reply to the NIP letter with, when it comes

If they audit your transactions it will probably come with the first letter. Sometimes they don’t reference it in the first letter and send a second one in reply.

 

[RPI]

JCP Railcards are so rare that anyone stopped with that discount will more than likely be investigated. Proportionately, in my experience, it's by far the most abused discount out there and so easy for the railway to investigate because there are so few legitimate ones about.

 

[enyoueffsea]

How long did you hold the JCP railcard for?

 

[codejack]

How long did you hold the JCP railcard for?

3 months, expired past week

 

[enyoueffsea]

3 months, expired past week

If you don’t have a copy still it may be worthwhile contacting JCP now to ask them to provide details of when you were supplied with one.

You’ll likely need this at some point in the future and will save time later down the line.

 

[codejack]

If you don’t have a copy still it may be worthwhile contacting JCP now to ask them to provide details of when you were supplied with one.

You’ll likely need this at some point in the future and will save time later down the line.

I did take a picture of it actually, hopefully that is enough, if not I’ll go through the painful JCP process of talking to someone

Thanks all who replied

 

[John R]

I would get more evidence than a picture. Something official is much more likely to be accepted. It’s very easy to doctor a picture.

 

[Hadders]

If you have a picture of the JCP Railcard that will probably suffice as long as all the details on it are clear. Normally with Thameslink theyu will ask you to upload a copy of the railcard to their portal.

There are two issues here:

1. The invalid ticket on the day you were caught
2. GTR will prpbably check your ticket purchase history to check you had a JCP Railcard for other purchases

They will almost certainly offer you an out of court settlement costing the value of the outstanding fare on the day you were caught, with no credit given for the railcard discounted ticket you did purchase. They will also charge an adfmin fee, normally £150. If you've made other purchases with the JCP railcard then they will want to see evidence that you did hold this railcard, if you can't supply evidence of it then they will factor the cost of those journeys into the settlement - hopefully the photo will suffice here.

When GTR write to you post a redacted copy of it in this thread along with your draft reply and forum members will proof read it for you.