Penalty Fare Question

[isan1345]

I got given a penalty fare today of £40 and have paid it straight away - is this the end of the ordeal without any prosecution? I get very nervous with these situations and would just like some clarity if that's the end of it, and no court summons

Thanks a lot

 

[Blinkbonny]

I got given a penalty fare today of £40 and have paid it straight away - is this the end of the ordeal without any prosecution? I get very nervous with these situations and would just like some clarity if that's the end of it, and no court summons

Thanks a lot

Most definitely. (But it may count against you if you're ever caught again.)

 

[Fawkes Cat]

That's the end of it.

But for your future peace of mind, note that if the same sort of thing happens again, you may not be offered a penalty fare: instead, the railway could take you to court. So it's even more important than it used to be to make sure that you always have the right train ticket when you travel.

 

[some bloke]

Is the answer something like "technically they can refund the penalty fare and start proceedings within six months of the alleged offence, but it's very unlikely unless they discover grounds to believe the same failure to produce a valid ticket involved you doing something much more serious"?

"11. ... (2) If a person to whom paragraph (1) applies has paid the penalty fare, or part of it, the operator on whose behalf the penalty fare was charged must refund that person the amount paid within the period of 10 working days, beginning with the day on which proceedings are brought."

The Railways (Penalty Fares) Regulations 2018
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/366/made

 

[isan1345]

Thank you all so much - you've helped put my mind at ease