Penalty fare: website crashes after attempt to pay (19yo)

[AlterEgo]

Indeed the appeal should succeed based on the improper overcharge on the notice alone. The OP should lead with this.

Second, if they feel it relevant, they can include statements about their disability and how they may feel protected to buy on board as a result of that.

 

[saismee]

Indeed the appeal should succeed based on the improper overcharge on the notice alone. The OP should lead with this.

This is absolutely enough. 10p isn't a huge amount but the appeals panel should be scared to uphold an overcharged penalty as it could be very detrimental for them.

 

[trainuser16]

Hello,

Yesterday I paid for a train ticket at 1:35 and it quickly said "processing". The train then arrived early (1:40 instead of 1:49) so I boarded in belief that the payment had worked (I had money in my account and never had an issue before). Upon boarding, the website must have been frozen for over 5 minutes as when I checked it on the train it still said processing. I looked for a ticket inspector but couldn't see any. After a few minutes of trying to refresh the page and see if I can redo the whole process, a pair of revenue protection officers approached me and asked for my ticket. I explained to them that I had attempted to pay before boarding, asked to show them my phone (they declined) and asked if I could buy a ticket off of them, but they issued me a Penalty Fare of £50 (within 21 days).

I have submitted an appeal as if it were not for the technical error of their website, my payment and ticket would have loaded.

I am very anxious as I cannot afford this and keep seeing people saying it's practically impossible for an appeal to be successful because I technically had no valid ticket, despite my intentions and attempts.


Extra context: (against and in my favour)

- we had passed 2 stops and the next was my destination
- I had only been on the train for about 5-8 minutes
- I have screenshot time stamped evidence of the payment saying it was going through at 1:35 and 1:40, as well as maps saying the train departed 1:49 (not true as the fare was given at 1:48 on the train so it was early)
- I have autism and ADHD so I don't typically use physical tickets or use the ticket office as I get anxious in social situations and easily lose or damage physical things like card or paper
- the appeal includes the sequence of events I have included as well as the screenshots, but when I submitted the appeal yesterday I met the character limit and didn't find the relevance to mention ADHD/autism.



Thank you for reading, please let me know if there's any more information I could give and any ideas as to how likely my appeal will be successful.

Update: appeal successful!!!


I'd like to thank everyone for helping me with this penalty fare.

I have just received an email (10th June) informing me that the penalty fare has been removed and that I am now only liable for the surcharge (£8.60 for the ticket). This was because the surcharge of £8.70 wasn't compliant with all parts of the Regulation 5(2) (as discussed in this thread).

I am very lucky for the support you've provided and for having the appeal be successful first time round.


Thank you again and all the best,

Trainuser16

 

[Bletchleyite]

As a future thing, I make it muscle memory to add any e-ticket I'm buying to the Apple Wallet at the time of purchase and before boarding any train (Google Wallet also works of course). If you do that you always know for sure that it's worked. It's something I would recommend everyone does, not least because it's by far the easiest way to show one when inspected and at gatelines.

 

[AlterEgo]

Update: appeal successful!!!


I'd like to thank everyone for helping me with this penalty fare.

I have just received an email (10th June) informing me that the penalty fare has been removed and that I am now only liable for the surcharge (£8.60 for the ticket). This was because the surcharge of £8.70 wasn't compliant with all parts of the Regulation 5(2) (as discussed in this thread).

I am very lucky for the support you've provided and for having the appeal be successful first time round.


Thank you again and all the best,

Trainuser16

Decent result. Well done for sticking at it.