Fined for accidently not priniting ticket

[sophieelizabet]

Hi all, I’m hoping someone here can offer a bit of advice.

I was travelling from Manningtree to Camden and had bought a valid ticket in advance — it was one of those that needs printing, but I completely forgot to do that as I’m so used to e-tickets these days.

The conductor on the train gave me a penalty fare, but he didn’t charge me there and then. He told me to get off at the next station and appeal it, saying it would be cancelled since I did have a valid ticket, just hadn’t printed it by mistake.

I followed the process and appealed — three times — but all of them have now been rejected. I’m now being told to pay a £94 fine, even though I already paid £54 for the original ticket.

Is there anything I can do at this point? It feels really unfair, especially as I wasn’t trying to avoid paying — I just messed up with the format.

Would appreciate any help or similar experiences. Thanks.

 

[Titfield]

Please can you upload the Penalty Fare Notice, the appeals submitted and the responses received? Please obscure any personal details or reference numbers.

 

[sophieelizabet]

Thank you.

I have attaced my booking, the collection recipt and ticket. Plus the Penalty Fare and the replies to my 3 appeals

 

[Titfield]

One of the forum members expert in penalty fare appeals should be along shortly to advise on this.

 

[sophieelizabet]

Thank you I really appreciate it!

 

[AlterEgo]

You have no further options to appeal; the penalty fare must be paid at this point.

If you feel strongly about the matter you can contact Transport Focus who may be able to convice the train company to refund the penalty fare.

Where is the portion from Manningtree to Camden Road? This is the portion not shown on the journey.

 

[Hadders]

Welcome to the forum!

This is an unfortunate incident. Unfortunately London Underground do not accept e-tickets and so any ticket which can be used on the Underground has to be issued as an old style paper ticket. I know you didn't use your ticket on the Underground but it could have been used on the underground (indicated by the '+' symbol on the ticket.

Unfortunately you've exhausted all of the appeal options available to you and so the Penalty Fare must now be paid. Had we have known about this while an appeal was still available there might have been able to have found a very technical reason why the Penalty Fare was invalid.

I would recommend paying asap to benefit from the discounted rate. You've nothing to lose by contacting London Travelwatch about this but you still need to pay the Penalty Fare to prevent the matter from escalating.

 

[sophieelizabet]

I sent a photo of the Manningtree to Camden ticket of my first appeal, but I don't have that ticket anymore.

Thanks for the advise, when I go on to pay they are saying I still need to pay the fare as well, which I have already paid? Surely this can't be right?

 

[Hadders]

I sent a photo of the Manningtree to Camden ticket of my first appeal, but I don't have that ticket anymore.

Thanks for the advise, when I go on to pay they are saying I still need to pay the fare as well, which I have already paid? Surely this can't be right?

I'm afraid the amount is correct. A Penalty Fare is £100 plus the appropriate fare, reduced to £50 plus the appropriate fare if paid within 21-days (the clock stops on the 21-days while an appeal is being considered)

Although you'd paid for a ticket because it hadn't been printed out you're treated as though you didn't have a ticket.

 

[AlterEgo]

I sent a photo of the Manningtree to Camden ticket of my first appeal, but I don't have that ticket anymore.

Thanks for the advise, when I go on to pay they are saying I still need to pay the fare as well, which I have already paid? Surely this can't be right?

It is correct - they are entitled to ask for the fare part, too. That is part of the penalty fare.

 

[DeverseSam]

I was travelling from Manningtree to Camden and had bought a valid ticket in advance — it was one of those that needs printing, but I completely forgot to do that as I’m so used to e-tickets these days.

For next time, maybe you could consider getting a Network Railcard for the part of the journey after 10am (and splitting somewhere)

 

[furlong]

Please share the TEXT of all three of your appeals and also all the relevant dates - when each appeal was submitted and when it was decided.
We really would like to see everything related to this (apart from personal details of course).

Is there anything I can do at this point?

It's possible. There may be some potential ideas to consider once you've filled in the missing details.


There was a recent report by the ORR confirming that situations like yours should not lead to penalties.

3.80 We also found during our research and engagement that some passengers buying
their tickets online (from a website or app) assume that their ticket would be
fulfilled as a digital ticket. But some tickets must be collected from a TVM before
travel. This was seen as counter-intuitive when the purchase was made online.

From recommendation 2:

Passengers should be treated fairly and consistently when they are found without a valid
ticket, with a focus on industry targeting intentional fare evasion as opposed to genuine
mistakes and responding proportionately.

(I presume you weren't aware of this and so didn't mention it in any of your appeals.)

 

[38Cto15E]

sophielizabet
Sorry to hear about this, maybe the best is to pay up asap then why not contact BBC TV Ripoff Britain to see if they can help.