Hello, I would really appreciate some guidance on this matter.
I am an international student based in London and hold a valid 16–25 Railcard. I originally purchased the Railcard for my own travel, as I regularly travel to Bristol to visit my partner.
Recently, however, I have also purchased train tickets for my partner to travel from Bristol to London, as I have been busy and therefore he has been travelling to me instead. He has also been experiencing financial difficulties recently (medical related), so I was trying to help with his travel. I purchased three sets of tickets for him (including the corresponding returns) through the TrainPal app. I had genuinely forgotten about the Railcard when purchasing these tickets. Each time, I simply bought tickets without giving it much thought. There were no issues with the previous journeys.
Last week, however, a GWR inspector at Bristol Temple Meads asked my partner to show his Railcard. He contacted me, and I sent him a screenshot of my Railcard from the TrainPal app, which he showed to the inspector. The inspector explained that my Railcard could not be used to purchase discounted tickets for another person. Nevertheless, he allowed my partner through the barriers and onto the train.
When my partner arrived at London Paddington, another GWR inspector stopped him at the exit barriers and carried out further checks. On this occasion, the inspector took my partner's details, including his name, email address and telephone number. When I arrived at the platform, the inspector also spoke to me and explained that I was not permitted to use my Railcard in this way. I apologised and explained that it had been a genuine mistake and that I had not intended to evade payment or obtain a discount fraudulently and I was ready to pay any fines right there and then.
All of my own journeys made using this Railcard have been for the purpose of travelling between London and Bristol to visit my partner. I do not use the Railcard for any other journeys or destinations. The Railcard had genuinely been purchased for my own travel, and I had used it when purchasing my partner's tickets without appreciating that this was not permitted. I fully understand now that I should not have used my Railcard for his tickets and that he should have had his own Railcard or the tickets should have been purchased without the 1/3 discount.
The inspector also took pictures of my Railcard and of the previous three journeys purchased through my TrainPal account (most of which were my own travels from London to Bristol). I became quite concerned when the inspector mentioned the possibility of "fraud", although he subsequently told me not to worry too much and said that it would be treated as a "civil matter" and that he wasn't going to take a statement or do any interviews with my partner. His overall manner was calm, and at the end of the conversation he said that my partner would receive an email.
I am now quite anxious about what may happen next and how far this could potentially escalate after reading too much into other similar posts... I appreciate that I made a silly mistake and accept that the Railcard terms were not followed, but there was no intention to defraud GWR or evade the correct fare.
I would be very grateful for any advice from those familiar with GWR prosecutions and disputes, particularly regarding what is likely to happen next and whether this is likely to remain a civil matter or could potentially result in a prosecution. I would also be grateful to know how long it would normally take for GWR to contact my partner, and whether this would usually be by email or post, given that the inspector did not ask him for or record his postal address. Additionally, as the inspector took photographs of my Railcard and previous journeys purchased through my TrainPal account, I would be interested to know whether I should expect to be contacted separately, or whether any correspondence would normally be directed only to my partner.
Thank you in advance for any help!
I am an international student based in London and hold a valid 16–25 Railcard. I originally purchased the Railcard for my own travel, as I regularly travel to Bristol to visit my partner.
Recently, however, I have also purchased train tickets for my partner to travel from Bristol to London, as I have been busy and therefore he has been travelling to me instead. He has also been experiencing financial difficulties recently (medical related), so I was trying to help with his travel. I purchased three sets of tickets for him (including the corresponding returns) through the TrainPal app. I had genuinely forgotten about the Railcard when purchasing these tickets. Each time, I simply bought tickets without giving it much thought. There were no issues with the previous journeys.
Last week, however, a GWR inspector at Bristol Temple Meads asked my partner to show his Railcard. He contacted me, and I sent him a screenshot of my Railcard from the TrainPal app, which he showed to the inspector. The inspector explained that my Railcard could not be used to purchase discounted tickets for another person. Nevertheless, he allowed my partner through the barriers and onto the train.
When my partner arrived at London Paddington, another GWR inspector stopped him at the exit barriers and carried out further checks. On this occasion, the inspector took my partner's details, including his name, email address and telephone number. When I arrived at the platform, the inspector also spoke to me and explained that I was not permitted to use my Railcard in this way. I apologised and explained that it had been a genuine mistake and that I had not intended to evade payment or obtain a discount fraudulently and I was ready to pay any fines right there and then.
All of my own journeys made using this Railcard have been for the purpose of travelling between London and Bristol to visit my partner. I do not use the Railcard for any other journeys or destinations. The Railcard had genuinely been purchased for my own travel, and I had used it when purchasing my partner's tickets without appreciating that this was not permitted. I fully understand now that I should not have used my Railcard for his tickets and that he should have had his own Railcard or the tickets should have been purchased without the 1/3 discount.
The inspector also took pictures of my Railcard and of the previous three journeys purchased through my TrainPal account (most of which were my own travels from London to Bristol). I became quite concerned when the inspector mentioned the possibility of "fraud", although he subsequently told me not to worry too much and said that it would be treated as a "civil matter" and that he wasn't going to take a statement or do any interviews with my partner. His overall manner was calm, and at the end of the conversation he said that my partner would receive an email.
I am now quite anxious about what may happen next and how far this could potentially escalate after reading too much into other similar posts... I appreciate that I made a silly mistake and accept that the Railcard terms were not followed, but there was no intention to defraud GWR or evade the correct fare.
I would be very grateful for any advice from those familiar with GWR prosecutions and disputes, particularly regarding what is likely to happen next and whether this is likely to remain a civil matter or could potentially result in a prosecution. I would also be grateful to know how long it would normally take for GWR to contact my partner, and whether this would usually be by email or post, given that the inspector did not ask him for or record his postal address. Additionally, as the inspector took photographs of my Railcard and previous journeys purchased through my TrainPal account, I would be interested to know whether I should expect to be contacted separately, or whether any correspondence would normally be directed only to my partner.
Thank you in advance for any help!
