Metro Tyne & wear

[Orangeblack]

I received a fine for my pop card being on a minus by a couple of pence when I believed had a day saver applied. As the amount of £4.85 had been taken of my pop card putting me at - 35pence (this is allowed by metro please see attachment)

To explain further On the morning I went from home to work and charged was charged (£3.25) to pick up my medication and then stopped in Newcastle (£1.60) this amount together is a daily saver which is unlimited travel for the day with a pop card as it applies the best ticket for your travel which is the cheapest.

when I tapped in (Newcastle) the barriers opened so I believed a day saver had been added on to my account as i saw £1.60 come off it and therefore believed I did not need to top up until the next day. I touched in from Newcastle to then proceeded home to where I was stopped at the barrier due to insufficient funds of a few 35ppence which shocked me as I thought due to the funds taken from my pop card that a day saver was active. Pop card has a thing where you can be at a minus to complete your Journey I believed I would be ok as I had a day saver applied on my pop card.
I regularly use metro and always scan my pop card when travelling to work and back. I have in the past had a negative balance when travelling back from work which has always been fine at the barriers in my hometown
I then would top up once I am home for the next day. I believed this was the case on this occasion too as I had been charged £4.85 on my pop card and believed I had a day saver applied.

I also checked the website and find the information on there contradicting to negative balances (see attached)as this my last trip to get home.

Furthermore I was due a refund of £3.25 from Nexus and believed that would have covered the difference.
This day was highly stressful for me as I had just recently gone on sick leave for anxiety and depression and had to go to work to get my medication for adhd. My negative balance was 35p
I was given the fine and when I explained to the women she said that I would have to appeal it as its nothing to do with metro and at least I had a ticket unlike other people who don’t have ticket jump Barriers and stay on the metro when they see staff
I was gobsmacked when I was issued with the fine as I believed I had a day saver on my pop card. Day saver is £4.85
Any advice on how I should proceed as it’s for -35p on pop card.

 

[lyesbkz]

I touched in from Newcastle to then proceeded home to where I was stopped at the barrier due to insufficient funds of a few 35ppence which shocked me as I thought due to the funds taken from my pop card that a day saver was active.

Do you have a record of the touch-in at Newcastle for the journey home?

I wonder if the reason you were stopped when you tried to touch-out at your home station is because they couldn't find a touch-in for starting that journey. Reading through the website it seems you shouldn't be able to touch-in when you have a negative balance (regardless of whether you have reached the cap or not) so is it possible the touch-in failed and you didn't realise?

 

[Orangeblack]

Do you have a record of the touch-in at Newcastle for the journey home?

I wonder if the reason you were stopped when you tried to touch-out at your home station is because they couldn't find a touch-in for starting that journey. Reading through the website it seems you shouldn't be able to touch-in when you have a negative balance (regardless of whether you have reached the cap or not) so is it possible the touch-in failed and you didn't realise?

Yes I think this was the case, as i was told this might be the the reason by customer service advisor and when I got to the home they said my touch was not registered. I believed I had a day rider. I’ve obviously learnt my lesson for 35p I got a penalty and I wasn’t aware of the what you have just mentioned

 

[DanNCL]

Where was the penalty fare issued? Haymarket? If so then I’m struggling to see any legitimate grounds to issue a penalty fare based on the info you’ve provided.

 

[Orangeblack]

Where was the penalty fare issued? Haymarket?

Nope shields

 

[DanNCL]

Nope shields

So from what I can see, you've travelled from Longbenton to Haymarket, touching in with a balance of £1.25. The fare to Haymarket was £1.60 which left you with the negative balance upon touching out. Unfortunately this does me you didn't have a valid ticket to get back to South Shields.
The only possibly mitigating factor I can think of here is if the barriers in Newcastle were in use and they opened for you when you touched in with the negative balance. If the barriers were already open it's the passenger's responsibility to touch in and ensure that it has registered correctly. If it's failed to accept the touch in or touch out the gate/validator should buzz instead of making the usual beep, and will display a red cross.

It may still be worth contacting Nexus as whilst they were technically able to issue the penalty fare it is incredibly poor practice and Nexus are quite sensitive to negative PR at present so may be willing to reach some sort of compromise, although I don't want to get your hopes up too much on that one.

 

[Orangeblack]

So from what I can see, you've travelled from Longbenton to Haymarket, touching in with a balance of £1.25. The fare to Haymarket was £1.60 which left you with the negative balance upon touching out. Unfortunately this does me you didn't have a valid ticket to get back to South Shields.
The only possibly mitigating factor I can think of here is if the barriers in Newcastle were in use and they opened for you when you touched in with the negative balance. If the barriers were already open it's the passenger's responsibility to touch in and ensure that it has registered correctly. If it's failed to accept the touch in or touch out the gate/validator should buzz instead of making the usual beep, and will display a red cross.

It may still be worth contacting Nexus as whilst they were technically able to issue the penalty fare it is incredibly poor practice and Nexus are quite sensitive to negative PR at present so may be willing to reach some sort of compromise, although I don't want to get your hopes up too much on that one.

What should I say to Nexus?
I honestly believed I had a day saver active on my pop card and when I tapped in on my way home didn’t realise that it didn’t register.
If I had known for 35p I could have saved myself from a penalty I would have topped up I’m never on a negative balance but I knew i would be going to work for sometime and I was also due a refund of £3.25
That would make up for the negative 35p.
I wish I just had topped up and really regret it as it’s causing me added stress and anxiety due to the cost of living.

 

[Orangeblack]

Another things is if i came straight home from work I wouldn’t have gotten a penalty. I honestly misunderstood the negative balance concept & only have learnt from my mistake. I have appealed it because that was what the customer advisor told me to do

 

[Tetchytyke]

You don’t get a “day rider” added to the card, it is just that the amount you pay for the day is capped. You must continue to touch in and touch out for all journeys irrespective of if you have hit the cap. It will allow you to go negative to complete a journey you have started, but it won’t let you touch in for a new journey if the card is in negative. It’s easy enough to add 35p at a machine.

So your only defence will be that you did touch in at Haymarket. Are you sure you did? Your talk of having a day ticket added to your card makes me think you either forgot to or ignored the error message when you tried to.

You can also try and appeal to their better judgment if you otherwise have a good track record of touching in and out.