Interview under caution Short fare

[bjroaste]

Hi,



I’ve been caught traveling with GWR from Reading to Paddington with a short fare ticket (West Ealing- Paddington) this was the 11th time I did this, and certainly the last one. I tried to pass the barriers but the ticket did not work this time and an officer checked my phone. He found the travel history and I lied saying I usually travel from West Ealing and I had made a mistake that day. I got in Reading station as every week I get a weekly ticket between Reading and Wokingham. He said he was proceeding to an interview under caution, turned his vest camera on and took note of everything is said. He asked: the journey I actually did, and what ticket I had (from West Ealing) Then when he asked if my intention was to pay less and I said No, then he asked what would I have done if he hadn’t stopped me, I said “buy a valid ticket as the barriers didn’t open”

I was terrified and did the stupidest thing and lied nonsense. I am now waiting for the letter from GWR, so my first question to the forum is How likely is that I get an out of court settlement in this communication? If so, how much do you think I’ll be asked to pay? and if no, is there any way for me to ask for this not going to court?

 

[John R]

Welcome to the forum. You won't be the first person to lie when caught, so what's more important is how you engage in the process going forward. If you respond to the letter promptly, and are apologetic, promise not to do it again, and ask very nicely (preferably all without the use of AI), then it's quite likely that GWR will offer you a settlement.

An Anytime Single is around £30, so expect to pay 22 of those to cover the 11 days that you did it (or maybe 21 if your return ticket that day was with a proper ticket) together with an admin fee of around £150. The fares you actually paid are not usually knocked off the amount, and I very much doubt the weekly ticket to Wokingham would be, as that's not even on the same route.

 

[WesternLancer]

It's probably worth reading this in terms of what to expect:
GWR revenue protection policy leaflet:

https://www.gwr.com/-/media/gwr-sc-website/files/revenue-protection-policy/GWR-Revenue-Protection-Policy-January-2023.pdf

 

[Gloster]

If they offer you an out of court settlement (it is their choice, not yours) you will be expected to pay the full Anytime Single fare for each and every journey you made with an incorrect ticket; that is two fares for a return journey: one Outward and one Return. No allowance will be made for what you did pay or for any reductions you may be entitled to. They then add their investigation costs, which usually start at £150. If they make the offer, you will be expected to pay the sum in full within a week or two: payment plans are virtually never accepted.

 

[Hadders]

Welcome to the forum!

To add to the excellent advice already given, if you are offered a settlement you will need to be in a position to pay it in full within a few days of it being offered. Payment in installments isn't normally allowed.

When it comes, post a copy of GWR's letter in this thread along with your draft reply and forum members will be happy to proof read it for you. Do redact any personal details and case reference numbers.

 

[RPI]

If they offer you an out of court settlement (it is their choice, not yours) you will be expected to pay the full Anytime Single fare for each and every journey you made with an incorrect ticket; that is two fares for a return journey: one Outward and one Return. No allowance will be made for what you did pay or for any reductions you may be entitled to. They then add their investigation costs, which usually start at £150. If they make the offer, you will be expected to pay the sum in full within a week or two: payment plans are virtually never accepted.

If it's GWR then the OP will be given "ticket credit" for any fares paid.

 

[Gloster]

If it's GWR then the OP will be given "ticket credit" for any fares paid.

I always give the worst likely option. If it is less, then they can be relieved, but I don’t give them any false optimism.

 

[bjroaste]

Thank you all for your helpful comments!

I’d also like to understand something. Some times when I used the short fare ticket(WEA-PAD), it was for a one way journey from Reading to Paddington, the return ticket was a valid ticket paying the actual fare, generally the next day as I usually stay one night in London and then come back.

In those cases, will I be still charged twice even when the return was a valid ticket?

 

[AlterEgo]

Thank you all for your helpful comments!

I’d also like to understand something. Some times when I used the short fare ticket(WEA-PAD), it was for a one way journey from Reading to Paddington, the return ticket was a valid ticket paying the actual fare, generally the next day as I usually stay one night in London and then come back.

In those cases, will I be still charged twice even when the return was a valid ticket?

If you can evidence the correct fare paid then you should be able to argue against paying twice.

 

[John R]

If you can evidence the correct fare paid then you should be able to argue against paying twice.

Might that be a bit more difficult to explain if the journey back is the following day, so less obviously linked to the outward travel? The OP could have bought a ticket at the TVM at Paddington to access the gateline for their return journey on the day of travel as far as GWR knows.

 

[Titfield]

Possibly. The OP may have to provide chapter and verse on all his ticket purchases and actual travel if he is seeking to reduce the settlement requested (if offered) on the basis that he is seeking to be only charged for the fares avoided.

The risk is that the more work that the TOC has to do the higher the admin fee, the more complicated "the story is" the greater the risk that the TOC decides they can not unpick it and commence legal proceedings.

Sometimes it may just be better to end up being "a little hard done by" than elongating the process with all the work and worry that entails.

 

[RPI]

I always give the worst likely option. If it is less, then they can be relieved, but I don’t give them any false optimism.

Fair point

 

[bjroaste]

Hi all,
I would like to ask if there’s any usual time for GWR to send the prosecution letter. I was interviewed on the 10th of August but have not received any notification yet. I am sure I provided my details correctly, but I am afraid the letter got lost and I’m supposed to reply soon. I guess there’s no way to contact GWR about this?

 

[Titfield]

We have seen letters arrive within a few days of a "stop" and also some take many months. If the train operating company has to investigate your online booking history this usually elongates the time taken for a letter to be sent.

Unfortunately it isnt normally possible to contact the correct department within GWR and ascertain the progress of your case.

 

[WesternLancer]

Hi all,
I would like to ask if there’s any usual time for GWR to send the prosecution letter. I was interviewed on the 10th of August but have not received any notification yet. I am sure I provided my details correctly, but I am afraid the letter got lost and I’m supposed to reply soon. I guess there’s no way to contact GWR about this?

page 16 of this pdf has an e-mail address for GWR prosecutions - it's a document that you may want to look over more fully anyway

https://www.gwr.com/-/media/gwr-sc-website/files/revenue-protection-policy/GWR-Revenue-Protection-Policy-January-2023.pdf

 

[elligill]

Hi all,
I would like to ask if there’s any usual time for GWR to send the prosecution letter. I was interviewed on the 10th of August but have not received any notification yet. I am sure I provided my details correctly, but I am afraid the letter got lost and I’m supposed to reply soon. I guess there’s no way to contact GWR about this?

Hi can you let me know how long it took for them to contact you? Could you share a copy of the letter?

 

[_toommm_]

Hi can you let me know how long it took for them to contact you? Could you share a copy of the letter?

If you have your own problem, it's best to start your own thread as every case is different.

 

[WesternLancer]

If you have your own problem, it's best to start your own thread as every case is different.

I think they have. They’re trying to work out an expected timeline I suspect by asking this op.

 

[_toommm_]

I think they have. They’re trying to work out an expected timeline I suspect by asking this op.

Force of habit on my part - apologies to elligill.

 

[John R]

Force of habit on my part - apologies to elligill.

I always check how many posts someone has made when they ask a question like that, as it's a very good clue as to whether they have already made their own thread (and obv if it is their first, they haven't.)