Paying a GWR penalty notice

Hi - feeling very frustrated.
Trying to pay a GWR penalty fine notice:
1) can't do it on line via appeals website as no option given for GWR
2) can't pay over phone as it is a premium number and my phone contract won't allow unless I top up which costs an extra £5 then premium number costs
3) trying to pay on the GWR website and it says there is no record of the penalty notice (it begins FG)
4) don't have a cheque book

The whole process is just diabolically cumbersome

Have been to appeal as inspector fined my daughter and said "you'll be able to claim it back on appeal because you're disabled!!" - what an unbelievable comment to make!

And breathe ... any advice please.

Did you exhaust all three appeals?

If not, post a redacted copy of the notice (don't include any identifiable information) and details of why it was issued and we can see if there are any mistakes in it which could give rise to an appeal on a technicality (or indeed a non-technicality).

Albert66 said:

any advice please.

Click to expand...

Yes, tell us (much) more about the Penalty Fare Notice and the circumstances that lead to it being issued. We can then advise on whether there is a valid appeal route open to you. Please post the Notice with personal details redacted as there are often technical reasons for them being incorrectly issued.

Hi
There is no chance for appeal really. She boarded the local train for a 30 minute journey costing £4.30 with her railcard. As we were in a rush she forgot to get her ticket on her phone. When the inspector approached and asked for her ticket she realised she hadn't bought it. She asked to buy one (which we have done before) and think because it was an inspector and not conductor she got the fine. But he said on issuing the fine notice " I've got to issue it. You'll be able to claim it back on appeal because you're disabled, just say your struggled with the machine!"
We appealed and they came back that not successful.

I accept it's a blanket no ticket no travel = penalty notice and now trying to pay is just a pain in the proverbial - and only option is a premium rate number which is what has infuriated me more than the fine itself.

Albert66 said:

There is no chance for appeal really.

Click to expand...

With respect, the experts here may well disagree.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Aug 2026 ==

Albert66 said:

We appealed and they came back that not successful.

Click to expand...

It is often the case that a first appeal fails. That doesn't mean a second or third appeal will also fail.

Haywain said:

With respect, the experts here may well disagree.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Aug 2026 ==


It is often the case that a first appeal fails. That doesn't mean a second or third appeal will also fail.

Click to expand...

Ok - that's interesting as my daughter would like to appeal.
However yet again that process is tiresome as she could seem to get on to the system with her details. I've just looked at the fine note and her name was spelt wrongly

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Aug 2026 ==

Really appreciate all the answers to this.
The whole penalty issuing scenario seems to penalise those for whom it is one off, general mistake.
Yet those determined to flout the system on a regular basis will always do so.

May be as well if buying tickets and subsequent use of trains wasn't such a tedious process where you have to check the minutiae to make sure you're on the correct train at the correct time

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Aug 2026 ==

Albert66 said:

Hi - feeling very frustrated.
Trying to pay a GWR penalty fine notice:
1) can't do it on line via appeals website as no option given for GWR
2) can't pay over phone as it is a premium number and my phone contract won't allow unless I top up which costs an extra £5 then premium number costs
3) trying to pay on the GWR website and it says there is no record of the penalty notice (it begins FG)
4) don't have a cheque book

The whole process is just diabolically cumbersome

Have been to appeal as inspector fined my daughter and said "you'll be able to claim it back on appeal because you're disabled!!" - what an unbelievable comment to make!

And breathe ... any advice please.

Click to expand...

Just seen the orginal fine notice and they spelt her name wrong !

Albert66 said:

I've just looked at the fine note and her name was spelt wrongly

Click to expand...

That is one thing I can confidently say will not be suitable grounds for appeal, and I do not consider myself an expert in these matters. But what you need to be aware of is that the legislation around Penalty Fares is very specific on how the Notice should be issued. That's why we need to see it to give correct advice.

Albert66 said:

Ok - that's interesting as my daughter would like to appeal.

Click to expand...

If the Penalty Farre was not completed correctly, that would be grounds for an appeal. But we do need to see thre paperwork, with personal details redacted

Albert66 said:

Just seen the orginal fine notice and they spelt her name wrong !

Click to expand...

A misspelt name will not be a valid reason for an appeal

Albert66 said:

The whole process is just diabolically cumbersome

Click to expand...

I agree

Albert66 said:

Have been to appeal as inspector fined my daughter and said "you'll be able to claim it back on appeal because you're disabled!!" - what an unbelievable comment to make!

Click to expand...

The issue here is that it is possible that disabled people are exempt from the requirement to buy before boarding (you are not required to use your phone anyway, whoever you are) even if there is a working ticket machine, due to their disability - potentially.

I suspect this is what the Inspector was alluding to, to give them the benefit of the doubt

The Inspector could have used discretion and not issued the Penalty Fare (PF) I guess, due to the disability - but we know that they have ticket checking systems that result in staff having to justify to managers the use of such discretion so it can no doubt be easier to issue the PF and re-assure the passenger that the Appeal will just resolve it - when we do know what a pain such appeals will be

Does your daughter have a Disabled Persons Railcard by any chance? / would she be entitled to one - if so I would strongly suggest getting one - not only do they provide a discount for an accompanying person - there is also anecdotal evidence that staff will use discretion not to issue Penalty fares etc to card holders in these sorts of circs

Albert66 said:

And breathe ... any advice please.

Click to expand...

People here will give advice on exactly how to appeal, what wording to use, what rules to cite and will check draft of any appeal wording - at each stage - if there is a chance of success.

There is nothing to lose by submitting an appeal to (the payment deadline is paused during the appeal process, or if you have paid it it would then be refunded if Appeal upheld)

I'm not a PF expert but there are certainly some experts heer who I am sure will be happy to help you and your daughter with this.

WesternLancer said:

I agree


The issue here is that it is possible that disabled people are exempt from the requirement to buy before boarding (you are not required to use your phone anyway, whoever you are) even if there is a working ticket machine, due to their disability - potentially.

I suspect this is what the Inspector was alluding to, to give them the benefit of the doubt

The Inspector could have used discretion and not issued the Penalty Fare (PF) I guess, due to the disability - but we know that they have ticket checking systems that result in staff having to justify to managers the use of such discretion so it can no doubt be easier to issue the PF and re-assure the passenger that the Appeal will just resolve it - when we do know what a pain such appeals will be

Does your daughter have a Disabled Persons Railcard by any chance? / would she be entitled to one - if so I would strongly suggest getting one - not only do they provide a discount for an accompanying person - there is also anecdotal evidence that staff will use discretion not to issue Penalty fares etc to card holders in these sorts of circs


People here will give advice on exactly how to appeal, what wording to use, what rules to cite and will check draft of any appeal wording - at each stage - if there is a chance of success.

There is nothing to lose by submitting an appeal to (the payment deadline is paused during the appeal process, or if you have paid it it would then be refunded if Appeal upheld)

I'm not a PF expert but there are certainly some experts heer who I am sure will be happy to help you and your daughter with this.

Click to expand...

Thank you for taking the time to give a detailed reply.
My daughter does have a disabled persons railcard for sure.

We will pay the fine and then look at next steps.
It’s a lesson learnt to get tickets before travelling especially on this local line!

Thank you everyone

Albert66 said:

We will pay the fine and then look at next steps.

Click to expand...

Unless you are in danger of running out of time, I would not pay the fine yet, but wait for advice from this forum. But please, we do need to see the Penalty Fare paperwork.

It would be far better to show us the notice with her name redacted so we can see if it was issued lawfully. If her disability does not impact her ability to use ticketing facilities this line of argument is moot; disabled people do not have an unfettered right to get on a train without a ticket.

AlterEgo said:

It would be far better to show us the notice with her name redacted so we can see if it was issued lawfully. If her disability does not impact her ability to use ticketing facilities this line of argument is moot; disabled people do not have an unfettered right to get on a train without a ticket.

Click to expand...

agree with you and also the issue about spelling of name - doesn’t mean that an appeal of will be in her favour.
It’s been issued fairly according to rules.
Just frustrating and the process to repay is also as tedious as the appeal process.

Albert66 said:

agree with you and also the issue about spelling of name - doesn’t mean that an appeal of will be in her favour.
It’s been issued fairly according to rules.

Click to expand...

How do you know it's been issued fairly? There are about a dozen reasons a Notice might not be compliant, from overcharging the fare portion to failing to specify lawful grounds. Please do post the notice on here so we can see it.

You should be able to pay at a gwr ticket office

Albert66 said:

Hi - feeling very frustrated.
Trying to pay a GWR penalty fine notice:
1) can't do it on line via appeals website as no option given for GWR
2) can't pay over phone as it is a premium number and my phone contract won't allow unless I top up which costs an extra £5 then premium number costs
3) trying to pay on the GWR website and it says there is no record of the penalty notice (it begins FG)
4) don't have a cheque book

The whole process is just diabolically cumbersome

Have been to appeal as inspector fined my daughter and said "you'll be able to claim it back on appeal because you're disabled!!" - what an unbelievable comment to make!

And breathe ... any advice please.

Click to expand...

AlterEgo said:

How do you know it's been issued fairly? There are about a dozen reasons a Notice might not be compliant, from overcharging the fare portion to failing to specify lawful grounds. Please do post the notice on here so we can see it.

Click to expand...

The following lists examples we have seen of Penalty Fares not being issued correctly:

• Posters at stations not showing the precise wording required by the legislation
• The wrong station quoted where the PF was issued
• The wrong station quoted as the destination rather than the next station
• The wrong reason quoted
• The wrong value of the Penalty Fare being calculated

Thus, as a 'regular passenger' you may not know if any of these examples apply to you, and we do need to see a redacted copy of your paperwork. We may be able to identify a valid reason for you to have the Penalty Fare withdrawn, and save you having to pay it.

As far as I can see the number to GWR regarding Penalty Fares is a 03457 one, this a standard non-geographic number and not a premium one. These numbers are usually inclusive in mobile contracts.