Purchased After Boarding

[training808]

Due to the disruption from the derailed train today, I was unable to get my usual train from Willenhall to New St.

Thankfully, I was given a lift to Witton Station and boarded from there. When I got to New Street, I decided to quickly purchase an anytime day single from Witton to New Street and just scanned it through the barriers there - my intention was to buy from the conductor on board but they weren’t there.

I’m wondering how likely I am to receive correspondence about this from West Midlands Trains. I know I paid the full fare but I’m aware this was done after boarding, any advice?

 

[Bletchleyite]

While it's in theory possible to catch this via analysing the data, it's not widely done yet and as such if you weren't caught on the day it's unlikely anything will happen unless you do it very often. Possible, but unlikely.

Don't do it again though! You must purchase before boarding unless there is neither a booking office nor a TVM at your origin (buying from the guard is only for where there's nothing at all at your origin) and if purchasing on your phone that must be before boarding with no exceptions - if you can't do that before boarding then you need to choose one of the other options and obtain a paper ticket.

 

[training808]

While it's in theory possible to catch this via analysing the data, it's not widely done yet and as such if you weren't caught on the day it's unlikely anything will happen unless you do it very often. Possible, but unlikely.

Don't do it again though! You must purchase before boarding unless there is neither a booking office nor a TVM at your origin (buying from the guard is only for where there's nothing at all at your origin) and if purchasing on your phone that must be before boarding with no exceptions - if you can't do that before boarding then you need to choose one of the other options and obtain a paper ticket.

Ah that’s reassuring, I’ve thought myself into a nightmare with this, I’m meticulous with purchasing on time and just decided not to today because of the disruptions, I’m worried they’re going to contact me.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Ah that’s reassuring, I’ve thought myself into a nightmare with this, I’m meticulous with purchasing on time and just decided not to today because of the disruptions, I’m worried they’re going to contact me.

They could, but I think for a one-off case it is unlikely. They do do data analysis looking for misuse, but generally they look for a pattern of misuse (e.g. obvious short faring over a long period with those tickets never scanned in) rather than a single event of it.

If they do send you a letter post it here and we can of course advise accordingly, but I very much doubt they will.

Just don't do it again!

 

[Liam L]

Due to the disruption from the derailed train today, I was unable to get my usual train from Willenhall to New St.

Thankfully, I was given a lift to Witton Station and boarded from there. When I got to New Street, I decided to quickly purchase an anytime day single from Witton to New Street and just scanned it through the barriers there - my intention was to buy from the conductor on board but they weren’t there.

I’m wondering how likely I am to receive correspondence about this from West Midlands Trains. I know I paid the full fare but I’m aware this was done after boarding, any advice?

If it's a one off, you won't hear anything. However if your repeat offender and they a pattern of evidence, it's more than likely they will get in touch. But you should be fine!

 

[Watershed]

Most "after the fact" data trawls seem to be taking place long after the 6 month window for Byelaw prosecutions has closed. As such, the worst they are likely to be able to do is to bring a civil claim on the basis that you were in breach of the NRCoT.

Given the well-recognised legal principle of "unjust enrichment", they would have to deduct the amount you originally paid from what they're claiming. Since you paid for an Anytime Day Single (the most expensive available fare) I the first place, there is nothing for them to claim for.

That is all aside from the fact that they only have the name/email of whose account the ticket was purchased through. That is not evidence that you were the one who bought the ticket (often people use others' account, e.g. their partner's or that of a parent/child if they share a computer) or that you were the one who travelled (you can buy a ticket on behalf of someone else, or even sell your ticket to someone else).

All said, in the unlikely event that you do receive any correspondence from WMT, it is vital that you come here first before responding - even before you acknowledge it, for example. In most cases of "after the fact" data trawls, our advice is to ignore their correspondence precisely because they lack the evidence described above and so are effectively hoping you will "dob yourself in" and thereby make the case for them.