Rail ticket

[lola12]

Hi,

Please I need your advice, I bought a ticket which was wrong from Milton Keynes to wolverton on a wrong railcard. However I have used to scan upon checking my phone and realised I was with the wrong ticket I decided to buy the correct journey ticket with the correct. Hopped on the train and the inspector checked ticket I showed the correct the ticket Milton Keynes to Northampton which was my final destination ignoring my previous intention of coming down at wolverton and she asked the ticket was was not scanned I explained I corrected the wrong ticket purchased that y I presented the right ticket. Now the inspector said she will take me to court for reason I don’t know. Took my details and informed me to expect a letter . Please I need your advice

 

[30907]

Welcome to the forum.
Please could you upload a picture of any paperwork you were given - unfortunately your post isn't very clear.
I presume your journey was from Milton Keynes - but where to? Wolverton? Wolverhampton? Or Wallesey Village?
What railcard discount did you claim?
When did you buy the correct ticket - at MK Central or on the train?

 

[lola12]

Hi,

Thanks for the information

The journey was from Milton Keynes to wolverton (16-17) railcard

Also I did not receive any paper work from the inspector I was only told to sign a tiny pad while on camera

I bought the two ticket at Milton Keynes on my phone trainline. The correct purchase was Milton Keynes to Northampton (16-25) that what I bought before entering the train and presented to the inspector but they declined it saying I had used the other to tap. She took picture of the two ticket my rail card and asked for other information and said I will get a letter

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Jun 2024 ==

Welcome to the forum.
Please could you upload a picture of any paperwork you were given - unfortunately your post isn't very clear.
I presume your journey was from Milton Keynes - but where to? Wolverton? Wolverhampton? Or Wallesey Village?
What railcard discount did you claim?
When did you buy the correct ticket - at MK Central or on the train?

Welcome to the forum.
Please could you upload a picture of any paperwork you were given - unfortunately your post isn't very clear.
I presume your journey was from Milton Keynes - but where to? Wolverton? Wolverhampton? Or Wallesey Village?
What railcard discount did you claim?
When did you buy the correct ticket - at MK Central or on the train?

Hi,

Thanks for the information

The journey was from Milton Keynes to wolverton (16-17) railcard

Also I did not receive any paper work from the inspector I was only told to sign a tiny pad while on camera

I bought the two ticket at Milton Keynes on my phone trainline. The correct purchase was Milton Keynes to Northampton (16-25) that what I bought before entering the train and presented to the inspector but they declined it saying I had used the other to tap. She took picture of the two ticket my rail card and asked for other information and said I will get a letter

 

[John R]

So this is a bit confusing but I think what you’re saying is that you bought what we call a “short ticket”, and with a railcard offering a higher discount, but before boarding the train decided to buy the correct ticket.

Is that correct (and in particular, did you buy the second ticket before setting foot on the train?)

 

[30907]

Checking again: you bought MKC to Wolverton with 16-17 Saver discount, used it to get through the barriers, then bought MKC to Northampton with 16-25 Railcard discount. I'm puzzled!

What did the pad that you signed say?

As you had a valid ticket when you got on the train, I am not sure what offence they might think you have committed, but you must expect the train company to check your ticket purchase history - and if they find other 16-17 discounts you should expect some comeback.

 

[thedbdiboy]

Their suspicion is that you will only have bought the correct ticket after boarding on realising it was about to be checked. Assuming that they write to you asking for your side of the story they will want an explanation for how you might have accidentally bought a ticket for a place you weren't going to, using a discount entitlement you haven't got, before subsequently buying the 'right' ticket.

 

[John R]

Their suspicion is that you will only have bought the correct ticket after boarding on realising it was about to be checked. Assuming that they write to you asking for your side of the story they will want an explanation for how you might have accidentally bought a ticket for a place you weren't going to, using a discount entitlement you haven't got, before subsequently buying the 'right' ticket.

Your suspicion certainly has some logic to it, but the key is when was the correct ticket purchased. If it was before they stepped on the train then I don’t think they committed an offence? If however they were on the train then it is a different matter. The OP should know that the precise time of purchase is recorded, and can be used to confirm whether or not the train had set off before purchase.

 

[AlterEgo]

If the train company checks your purchase and refund history, will they find that you frequently purchase these two tickets, and refund the more expensive one?

It looks very much to the train company that you are buying the very cheapest possible ticket to scan and enter the station, and buying a "correct" one which you are hoping won't be scanned onboard or at the end of your journey in Northampton. This leaves it appearing unused, and therefore open to be fraudulently refunded.

It's very implausible that you accidentally selected both the wrong destination and the wrong railcard on Trainline - which remembers your railcard, and your previous journey search. Especially so as it has ended up with you purchasing the cheapest possible ticket to scan at a barrier.

 

[Starmill]

Your suspicion certainly has some logic to it, but the key is when was the correct ticket purchased. If it was before they stepped on the train then I don’t think they committed an offence? If however they were on the train then it is a different matter. The OP should know that the precise time of purchase is recorded, and can be used to confirm whether or not the train had set off before purchase.

They certainly wouldn't have committed a Byelaw offence of boarding a train without a valid ticket on that particular occasion.

It's unlikely that they would have committed an offence in relation to accessing a station without passing through the ticket barriers correctly either, though it may be argued by some.

However, depending on the broader picture they may have committed an offence relating to trying to avoid paying the correct fare for their journey. That depends on if this has happened previously or not, and if any refund applications have been made.

 

[lola12]

So this is a bit confusing but I think what you’re saying is that you bought what we call a “short ticket”, and with a railcard offering a higher discount, but before boarding the train decided to buy the correct ticket.

Is that correct (and in particular, did you buy the second ticket before setting foot on the train?)

Yes I bought it before stepping into the train

 

[island]

However, depending on the broader picture they may have committed an offence relating to trying to avoid paying the correct fare for their journey. That depends on if this has happened previously or not, and if any refund applications have been made.

Agreed. Depending on the particular circumstances it is quite possible a section 5 (3) Regulation of Railways Act offence has occurred.

 

[lfg]

Not going to lie, it does sound quite suspicious when you bought a short ticket and accidentally added a wrong railcard which so happens to give you the most discount. They'll most likely look through your Trainline account and see if there have been previously wrongdoings, hopefully your account history is clean!

 

[Starmill]

Yes I bought it before stepping into the train

Have you made any recent refund applications? Is this the first occurrence of your buying a ticket in error which was not valid for your own journey?

 

[John R]

We really need you @iola12 to give us more insight into your ticket purchasing (and maybe refund) history so that we can give some informed advice. Absent that, all you can do is wait until you get a letter from the rail company, and then share it here (with any identifying details removed) and we can then advise (but again, we will need to understand the full picture as to what you have been doing).

 

[GadgetMan]

RPIs regularly get on and off at Milton Keynes.

So it's quite possible the sight of clearly identifiable Inspectors on the platform at Milton Keynes triggered the second purchase.

This does raise the question of how the OP was planning on exiting the barriers at Northampton (if that was indeed their destination).

 

[30907]

It looks very much to the train company that you are buying the very cheapest possible ticket to scan and enter the station, and buying a "correct" one which you are hoping won't be scanned onboard or at the end of your journey in Northampton. This leaves it appearing unused, and therefore open to be fraudulently refunded.

Another possible reason for an unscanned ticket arousing suspicion is that the holder might have actually travelled from somewhere else (unbarriered, or intending to doughnut) and bought a ticket just before arriving at MKC.

I don't think this is likely in the OP's case - but it is something a ticket checker might suspect.