Today I recieved a very unfair fine from an extremely rude and aggressive tfl ticket inspector between Holborn covent garden this morning. I lost my oyster card en route to work, and I even had the receipt to prove I topped up, where I tapped in and the exact time, guy didn't bother to do anything other than give me a fine.
What are my chances of
a) successful appeal
None; you were issued a
Penalty Fare, under circumstances which sound correct. If it's not yet been paid, I advise you pay it as soon as possible.
The view of many rail operators in the London & South East area is along the following lines:
"A Penalty Fare is a charge that [the operator] is allowed to make under the Regulations and Rules. It is not a fine, and anyone who is charged one is not being accused of avoiding, or attempting to avoid, paying their fare"
(source:
Chiltern Penalty fare leaflet)
If you had been accused of evading the fare, a fine would be a possibility, but it would not have been issued by an inspector as they do not have that power. They would have taken your details and a fine would only result if the prosecution was successful.
You were not accused of evading the fare and were therefore not prosecuted. You were charged a higher than normal fare, which you are absolutely entitled to think is unfair and disproportionate, but
is within the rules and is the correct action for the inspector to take, given the legislation in place.
b) suing tfl inspectors as it was embarrassing to be thrown off a train for their own fault
I don't see how you can sue for embarrassment. It is unclear what you deem to be "their fault".
c) suing tfl in general for unfair dismissal off picc line stock?
This doesn't make sense. "Unfair dismissal" refers to employment. It is not relevant here.
Penalty Fares are
unfair in the opinion of many people, but that is irrelevant as they are legislated for; fairness does not come into it! What actually matters is whether or not they are issued
correctly.
