Govia Thameslink Railway witness statement receipt

[Olumide]

Hello guys ,

This morning, I took bus 724 from Heathrow to St Albans rail station. At St Albans, I tapped in with my contactless card. However, upon arriving at Luton, I discovered they didn’t have contactless facilities. I attempted to use my card twice without success. The agent didn’t believe me and said I was coming from London without a ticket. I have receipts showing that I paid for the bus and used contactless at St Albans. What can I do?

 

[Andy Pacer]

Was it the gateline attendant that questioned you?

 

[Olumide]

Was it the gateline attendant that questioned you?

Yes

 

[Haywain]

What can I do?

You can demonstrate that you touched in at St Albans but still travelled beyond the contactless area. It means they'll look to recover a little less in unpaid fares.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

By the way, is there a map or signage anywhere (at the St Albans City station gateline area, perhaps?) which indicates just how far contactless payment cards can validly be used on train lines, heading out of, or through, Central London, as the sort of issue reported by the OP does seem to catch a few folk out from time to time.

 

[WesternLancer]

Hi and welcome

Can you help clarify by answering the following questions:

1) So you paid for the bus journey Heathrow to StvAlbans and can prove that via receipt/ ticket or bank statement? Keep that proof safe.

2) But you then took train St Albans to Luton. You Tried to use contactless which did not work and thus had no train ticket / did not pay for your journey?

3) What did staff do at Luton. Did they take your name and address?

4) Did they give you a Penalty Fare? There and then

5) Did they give you any paperwork?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Aug 2024 ==

You can demonstrate that you touched in at St Albans but still travelled beyond the contactless area. It means they'll look to recover a little less in unpaid fares.

Thameslink on line map if up to date says contactless not valid at St Albans (only as far north as Elsrtee & Borehamwood) so does that mean any attempt to touch in at St Albans City would not register on a card anyway?

I’m not very familiar with using contactless on thameslink.

 

[Olumide]

Hi and welcome

Can you help clarify by answering the following questions:

1) So you paid for the bus journey Heathrow to StvAlbans and can prove that via receipt/ ticket or bank statement? Keep that proof safe.

2) But you then took train St Albans to Luton. You Tried to use contactless which did not work and thus had no train ticket / did not pay for your journey?

3) What did staff do at Luton. Did they take your name and address?

4) Did they give you a Penalty Fare? There and then

5) Did they give you any paperwork?

1) yea I did
And I have the bus receipt
2)I took a train from st albans to luton ,where I used the contactless at st albans but on getting to luton , I discovered they do not have contactless so I had to pay for a ticket at the station .by that time the money in my account wasn’t up to the amount to be paid at the station
3)they took my name and address ,they didn’t believe I had tapped at at albans
4) no penalty fare
5)yes they did

 

[WesternLancer]

1) yea I did
And I have the bus receipt
2)I took a train from st albans to luton ,where I used the contactless at st albans but on getting to luton , I discovered they do not have contactless so I had to pay for a ticket at the station .by that time the money in my account wasn’t up to the amount to be paid at the station
3)they took my name and address ,they didn’t believe I had tapped at at albans
4) no penalty fare
5)yes they did

Please up load the paperwork with personal info and ref numbers obscured

I don’t understand how you used contactless at Albans if it is not valid there? Were the gates in fact open or did your bank card open the gates?

Or did you just assume it had registered a bank card tap in when in fact it did nothing?

 

[Haywain]

Thameslink on line map if up to date says contactless not valid at St Albans (only as far north as Elsrtee & Borehamwood) so does that mean any attempt to touch in at St Albans City would not register on a card anyway?

Contactless is valid to Luton Airport Parkway, but Oyster only to Elstree.

 

[Olumide]

Please up load the paperwork with personal info and ref numbers obscured

I don’t understand how you used contactless at Albans if it is not valid there? Were the gates in fact open or did your bank card open the gates?

Or did you just assume it had registered a bank card tap in when in fact it did nothing?

My bank card opened the gate at St Albans, but I couldn't tap out at Luton because they had no contactless facility. I was instructed to buy a new ticket at Luton, but when I tried to pay, there weren't enough funds in my account.so the agent believed I wasn’t coming from st albans probably from another place that i didn’t buy a ticket from.

 

[John R]

You should reupload your ticket with all identifying features removed, unless you want the whole of the internet to know who you are.

The document says you travelled from St Albans, so I’m not sure you need worry that he thought you travelled from London.

 

[WesternLancer]

Contactless is valid to Luton Airport Parkway, but Oyster only to Elstree.

Thanks

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Aug 2024 ==

My bank card opened the gate at St Albans, but I couldn't tap out at Luton because they had no contactless facility. I was instructed to buy a new ticket at Luton, but when I tried to pay, there weren't enough funds in my account.so the agent believed I wasn’t coming from st albans probably from another place that i didn’t buy a ticket from.

Ok. I think you need to wait to get a letter from them in coming weeks. It is vital you receive this and reply to it. If you don’t there is a very real risk of prosecution.

When you get the letter people here can help you reply to it effectively by way of apologising and requesting they let you resolve the matter without needing any court action.

Head back here when you hear from them and keep a close eye on your hard copy post.

 

[Olumide]

Thanks

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Aug 2024 ==


Ok. I think you need to wait to get a letter from them in coming weeks. It is vital you receive this and reply to it. If you don’t there is a very real risk of prosecution.

When you get the letter people here can help you reply to it effectively by way of apologising and requesting they let you resolve the matter without needing any court action.

Head back here when you hear from them and keep a close eye on your hard copy post.

Ok will do .
Thank you very much

 

[WesternLancer]

Ok will do .
Thank you very much

You have a plausible explanation for your error and evidence to back it up so should be ok to resolve this with them so long as you reply to them. They will want the fare due and an ‘admin fee’ which I’m afraid could be c£100 so make sure you have funds as prompt payment is required if they agree to settle the matter.

 

[Olumide]

You have a plausible explanation for your error and evidence to back it up so should be ok to resolve this with them so long as you reply to them. They will want the fare due and an ‘admin fee’ which I’m afraid could be c£100 so make sure you have funds as prompt payment is required if they agree to settle the matter.

Thank you
Will be awaiting there post

 

[WesternLancer]

Thank you
Will be awaiting there post

Did they take your postal address? Also check e mail and spam.