Lost penalty fare reference no

[Sharleen]

I received a penalty fare and want to appeal it as I had the money on my oyster card. Unfortunately I have lost the penalty fare reference slip and everytime I call the ICRA$ line it's automated, I am stressed out, I have searched online and can't get through to a person who can help me.
Can anyone help please

 

[roversfan2001]

Why did you receive the penalty fare?

 

[Sharleen]

The gates we're opened in Euston I never touched in as I was rushing. Does anyone know how can I get the reference no as I lost the slip?

 

[MikeWh]

Do you know which company issued the penalty fare? Likely to be either London Midland or London Overground. If you know then contact the customer services at the relevant company and explain your predicament. If you don't know, can you explain in more detail where/when you received the penalty fare.

Sadly you probably don't have much of a leg to stand on because the conditions of travel when using Oyster or contactless do say that you must touch in at the start and out at the end of your journey.

 

[185143]

The gates we're opened in Euston I never touched in as I was rushing. Does anyone know how can I get the reference no as I lost the slip?

'I had a fiver in my pocket but didn't use it as I was rushing' is basically what you've done here.

Walking past a ticket office because you were late isn't the railways problem, so they wouldn't accept that as an excuse. Failing to touch in as you were rushing... to be honest, I'd personally be suprised if they even believed you, never mind accepted the appeal.

 

[Gareth Marston]

or try driving away from a petrol filling station without paying for your fuel because you were in a hurry.

 

[mallard]

If "I never touched in as I was rushing" means "I waved my card at the reader, but it didn't register, I couldn't go back because of the lack of time and the other passengers crowding through behind me" (which, in this case, it probably doesn't), I can see there being a "moral" case for an appeal (although even then it's unlikely to be successful)...

 

[najaB]

I can see there being a "moral" case for an appeal (although even then it's unlikely to be successful)...

What's the moral basis? They didn't touch in, plain and simple.

 

[mallard]

What's the moral basis? They didn't touch in, plain and simple.

If "I never touched in as I was rushing" means "I waved my card at the reader, but it didn't register, I couldn't go back because of the lack of time and the other passengers crowding through behind me" (which, in this case, it probably doesn't), I can see there being a "moral" case for an appeal (although even then it's unlikely to be successful)...

You can't take part of a sentence out of context and then complain that it doesn't make sense.

 

[najaB]

You can't take part of a sentence out of context and then complain that it doesn't make sense.

I've not said that anything doesn't make sense. I've asked what the 'moral' basis is. The OP admits that they didn't take care to ensure that they touched in, what is the moral basis for an appeal?

 

[mallard]

I've not said that anything doesn't make sense. I've asked what the 'moral' basis is. The OP admits that they didn't take care to ensure that they touched in, what is the moral basis for an appeal?

If someone attempts to touch in (as in my speculative scenario which I freely admit is probably not what happened here), the equipment fails to register it and they either don't notice or are unable to get back to the reader without missing the train (while it is the passenger's responsibility to ensure they arrive in time, the whole point of Oyster is to make things quicker and easier, reducing the amount of time needed), I'd have a lot of sympathy for the passenger and would generally feel that penalising them is probably not, in my opinion, morally justified. Of course, in a legal sense, it's their responsibility to ensure they've correctly touched in/out and thus would be unlikely to successfully challenge a PF (as I said).

 

[najaB]

I'd have a lot of sympathy for the passenger and would generally feel that penalising them is probably not, in my opinion, morally justified.

In a situation such as you've described I also have sympathy for them, but: (a) that has nothing to do with the OP's situation; and (b) they failed to tap in so charging a standard fare (as opposed to prosecuting them) is pretty much justified (even on moral grounds) as a middle ground.