Northern Rail Fixed Penalty Notice Help

[Aenwyr]

So a couple weeks ago I travelled between Bolton and Manchester Piccadilly with a railcard that had expired the day before by mistake.

Obviously my fault for not checking beforehand, my mistake. However, I'm now being charged £100 for a £5.50 ticket? This is my first offence, the staff member was sympathetic to my case at Piccadilly, offering the solution of purchasing another railcard that day to help my case against a Penalty notice.

Northern sent a first contact letter asking for my reasoning in which I explained the situation and provided my new railcard number hoping that would help.

I tried looking at the online appeals process but because the prefix is NTLTIR I can't appeal it? I can't seem to find much info on a TIR prefix online so I'm unsure here?

I've never fare dodged and have always tried my hardest to have the correct ticket when travelling on any mode of transport, so much so that if I'm unsure if the ticket is correct I will just pay for a full price anytime single.

£100 is a lot of money and is basically the budget I would have for food until the next student loan in the second half of September, and I really don't want to potentially lose the case in court and pay more...

Is there any solution to this?

 

[greyman42]

You would lose the case in court so the only reasonable option is to pay the fine.

 

[AlterEgo]

The £100 fixed penalty does not have a formal appeal process nor any discount for early payment and is not a Penalty Fare. You would have no defence to the offence in court - travelling without a valid ticket (or a railcard to support one) is an offence of strict liability like speeding. Regrettably, the best option is likely to be to pay the notice and learn an expensive lesson.

 

[island]

There is no "appealing" a TIR I'm afraid.

Your options are to pay the £100 or wait to see whether Northern prosecutes you. It's likely a court case would not go in your favour and would end up with you getting a fine of £60, surcharge of £24, costs of £150, and compensation of £5.50. These are approximate amounts that add to £239.50.

 

[lyndhurst25]

Would it be worth the OP sending two cheques, one for the £5.50 fare owing and another for the balance of £94.50, along with an apologetic letter pleading for discretion to be shown, given that the railcard was only one day out of date and that they immediately renewed it? No guarantee of them only cashing the £5.50 cheque, but worth a try perhaps?

 

[Aenwyr]

So I have been given the unappealable full on £100 Fine over a £5.50 ticket.


Same as the minimum for a speeding fine mind you.

Literally would have paid for the ticket then and there, hell, even showed me buying the railcard in front of the staff member.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Aug 2024 ==

Welp, thanks everyone for clarifying anyway. Annoyed at myself for not anxiety checking the one day I needed to.

 

[Hadders]

It's frustrating when things like this happen. Unfortunately it's best to pay it and chalk it up to experience.

 

[FuzzyDuck]

Set up a calendar reminder so future railcard expiry dates are not missed.