Chiltern Notice of Prosecution

[2025Springtime]

Hello All,

I received the attached letter from Chiltern Railways today, which has rather knocked me for six. This forum has been really helpful to read, and I would be grateful for your input on my response, which I've drafted below. I think all the information you usually need is included here, but please let me know if I've missed anything.

There was also a GWR off-peak return, London Paddington to Oxford, in my travel history, for which I must also have had an expired railcard. Is there any need to mention this to Chiltern? It would have been valid on a Chiltern train but I must have bought it at Paddington.

Thanks so much in advance for your help with this.



Dear X,

I am in receipt of a Notice of Intended Prosecution, dated the 7th of March 2025. The Customer Reference is xxxxx. Thank you for advising me of the report, and for providing me with the opportunity to inform you of mitigating circumstances.

On the 26th of November 2024 I had my ticket checked by a revenue protection officer on a journey from Oxford Parkway to London Marylebone. Unfortunately my Network Railcard had expired, and so my ticket was not valid. I had not been aware that my railcard had expired, and I had not intended to travel without paying the correct fare.

I had a baby on the 24th of July 2024, and my railcard expired on the 2nd of October. Like many new parents I was suffering from sleep deprivation. I was also finding it difficult to leave her, and on this particular journey I was upset because I was going away overnight for the first time. However, I do realise that people who have recently had babies are not exempt from paying the correct rail fare, and that it was my responsibility to check that my railcard was in date. Please accept my sincere apologies.

I'm sorry to say that looking at my Trainline history, this may not be the only journey for which I paid an incorrect fare. Below is a list of the journeys I made with Chiltern Railways between my railcard expiring on the 2nd of October and my discovery of the fact on the 26th of November:

Tuesday 22 October 2024, London Marylebone to Oxford, £24.10
Friday 25 October 2024, London Marylebone to Oxford, £22.80
Tuesday 19 November 2024, London Marylebone to Oxford, £15

Would it be possible to settle this matter with you directly? I would be very grateful if so. I am willing to pay any outstanding fares and administration costs.

Thank you for your consideration.

Yours sincerely,

 

[30907]

Chiltern will know about the GWR fare from their search, so you might as well confirm it.

Bear in mind that a settlement offer will be based on the Anytime Single fare for each journey.

I think the paragraph about your baby could go - you don't generally need to elicit sympathy to get offered a settlement, so in practical terms it's padding.

PS congratulations on the happy event - as opposed to the one in November

 

[2025Springtime]

Chiltern will know about the GWR fare from their search, so you might as well confirm it.

Bear in mind that a settlement offer will be based on the Anytime Single fare for each journey.

I think the paragraph about your baby could go - you don't generally need to elicit sympathy to get offered a settlement, so in practical terms it's padding.

PS congratulations on the happy event - as opposed to the one in November

Thank you so much, that’s really helpful. Gosh this is going to be really expensive then. I was in two minds about mentioning the baby as I was unsure about what would count as mitigating circumstances. I think exhaustion was genuinely the reason that I missed the railcard expiry, but if these things make no difference to the settlement offer then it sounds as though there is nothing to gain. I really appreciate your help - and thanks for the congratulations!

 

[Hadders]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on the new baby!

I think your letter is ok but I suggest a couple of amendments. I think it's ok to mention the new baby to provide some context but maybe make that paragraph a bit shorter. Something like:

Back in the summer I became a new monther and like many new parents have been suffering from sleep deprivation and exhaustion. While this does not exempt me from paying the correct rail fare I would like to apologise for not checking that my railcard was in date before travelling.

While you're not required to incriminate yourself Chiltern always check Trainline ticket purchase history and factor the cost of other journeys since the railcard expired into the settlement cost so I think it's fine for you to mention the other journeys. Also, I normally wouldn't advise mentioning the cost but it's just possible that the person reading the reply will take sympathy and charge you a lesser fare than the Anytime fare for those!

It'll end up being a bit expensive, chalk it up to experience and don't beat yourself up over it. Think of it as like getting a speeding ticket - frustrating but one of those things.

Do let us know how you get on.

 

[2025Springtime]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on the new baby!

I think your letter is ok but I suggest a couple of amendments. I think it's ok to mention the new baby to provide some context but maybe make that paragraph a bit shorter. Something like:



While you're not required to incriminate yourself Chiltern always check Trainline ticket purchase history and factor the cost of other journeys since the railcard expired into the settlement cost so I think it's fine for you to mention the other journeys. Also, I normally wouldn't advise mentioning the cost but it's just possible that the person reading the reply will take sympathy and charge you a lesser fare than the Anytime fare for those!

It'll end up being a bit expensive, chalk it up to experience and don't beat yourself up over it. Think of it as like getting a speeding ticket - frustrating but one of those things.

Do let us know how you get on.

Thank you Hadders, I really appreciate your help. I’ve sent the email with edits and will certainly let you know how I get on.