Incorrect penalty fare?

[londonbridge]

The following is a letter which appeared in last night's London Evening Standard. I wondered what Mike would make of it.

"A friend was issued an £80 penalty fare while travelling on the overground between Kentish Town West and Blackhorse Road because he had not touched his Oyster card on a pink reader when changing at Gospel Oak. He assumed there was no need as he was not journeying into Zone 1 and there was no risk of being charged a higher fare when checking out at Blackhorse Road. His Oyster was well in credit, he was merely doing the return journey he'd done that morning. Maybe technically he was wrong but it seems heavy handed by TFL. As a carer on £75 a day such a fine is substantial to him. Hopefully he'll appeal".

 

[MikeWh]

Doesn't make sense for a number of reasons. Firstly, touching pink readers are not mandatory. Secondly, there is no alternative fare listed on the single fare finder for that journey. Thirdly, there must be more to this.

 

[jon0844]

I think you could just have said number three!

 

[londonbridge]

Doesn't make sense for a number of reasons. Firstly, touching pink readers are not mandatory. Secondly, there is no alternative fare listed on the single fare finder for that journey. Thirdly, there must be more to this.

No's 1 and 3 are why I agree that it doesn't make sense and the whole story is not being told here. Mike, I'll message you the name of the letter writer and you could ask the Evening Standard to put you in touch maybe.

 

[island]

Mark me down as another vote for "very odd". It would be incredibly illogical for this type of journey to go via zone 1. (I am assuming the passenger had a Travelcard including zone 2 but not zone 1 or some such.)