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TPE irregularity report letter

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schm565

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Hello, looking for some advice please on how to approach a response to an initial letter from TPE after I received an irregularity report last week. Although there was nothing deliberate on my part, I am incredibly worried by any chance of being prosecuted. The report was issued for an advance single which I wanted to use on the specified date. The problem is that I had also tried to use the same ticket the day before , not realising it was for the wrong date (I commute with 2 advance singles). I have travelled the route for years and have downloaded my purchase history to send them to show that this was just a one off mistake.
On the first day the inspector didn't take it any further when she highlighted the ticket was for the following day. She also said something about being able to get a refund for it but she would need to check with the conductor and come back. She didn't say the ticket was now 'used'. I had to get off before she returned and I thought I had just.been let off at her discretion as she accepted it was a mistake. Therefore I tried to use the ticket again the next day assuming and believing it was valid (being an advance single for that date, and her comments/lack of).

On day 2 the ticket didn't work at the barrier but the attendant let me through. I can see I should have figured it out in hindsight but I genuinely believed it was still valid. The inspector checked my ticket and said it had been scanned before so I explained what had happened and that it was scanned at the barriers and on the train yesterday. He issued the report and made out it was somehow better than a penalty fare (which I'm now not sure of).
I've read various threads and have a good sense of what to write but not sure how much detail to include with it being essentially two linked incidents. I want to be open and honest but at the same only provide what they need. Should i detail what happened on day 1 as well? I am genuinely sorry for causing the problem in the first place and my aim is just to get this settled.

Any comments or suggestions would be gratefully received.
 
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30907

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Hello, looking for some advice please on how to approach a response to an initial letter from TPE after I received an irregularity report last week. Although there was nothing deliberate on my part, I am incredibly worried by any chance of being prosecuted. The report was issued for an advance single which I wanted to use on the specified date. The problem is that I had also tried to use the same ticket the day before , not realising it was for the wrong date (I commute with 2 advance singles). I have travelled the route for years and have downloaded my purchase history to send them to show that this was just a one off mistake.
On the first day the inspector didn't take it any further when she highlighted the ticket was for the following day. She also said something about being able to get a refund for it but she would need to check with the conductor and come back. She didn't say the ticket was now 'used'. I had to get off before she returned and I thought I had just.been let off at her discretion as she accepted it was a mistake. Therefore I tried to use the ticket again the next day assuming and believing it was valid (being an advance single for that date, and her comments/lack of).

On day 2 the ticket didn't work at the barrier but the attendant let me through. I can see I should have figured it out in hindsight but I genuinely believed it was still valid. The inspector checked my ticket and said it had been scanned before so I explained what had happened and that it was scanned at the barriers and on the train yesterday. He issued the report and made out it was somehow better than a penalty fare (which I'm now not sure of).
I've read various threads and have a good sense of what to write but not sure how much detail to include with it being essentially two linked incidents. I want to be open and honest but at the same only provide what they need. Should i detail what happened on day 1 as well? I am genuinely sorry for causing the problem in the first place and my aim is just to get this settled.

Any comments or suggestions would be gratefully received.
This seems a case where you should tell the story as briefly as possible, as there is only this one occasion when you have unintentionally travelled without a ticket, and you presumably have the unused Day 1 ticket as evidence.

If delving into your purchase history would reveal other irregularities, I would take care neither to admit nor to deny them. Either way, stick to the incident concerned.
 

schm565

Member
Joined
30 May 2024
Messages
5
Location
Leeds
This seems a case where you should tell the story as briefly as possible, as there is only this one occasion when you have unintentionally travelled without a ticket, and you presumably have the unused Day 1 ticket as evidence.

If delving into your purchase history would reveal other irregularities, I would take care neither to admit nor to deny them. Either way, stick to the incident concerned.
Ok, thank you. Probably wasn't clear but I don't have an unused ticket - I booked the return ticket for the following day in error. Anyway I will stick to the incident itself as suggested.
 

AlterEgo

Verified Rep - Wingin' It! Paul Lucas
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This seems a case where you should tell the story as briefly as possible, as there is only this one occasion when you have unintentionally travelled without a ticket, and you presumably have the unused Day 1 ticket as evidence.

If delving into your purchase history would reveal other irregularities, I would take care neither to admit nor to deny them. Either way, stick to the incident concerned.
The OP didn’t travel without a ticket. It was valid. The fact it was accidentally scanned does not invalidate the ticket. They were on the correct train for the ticket, abiding by all the terms and conditions of the same. I would reply, pointing this out, and explaining the circumstances quite simply.
 

schm565

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Joined
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Messages
5
Location
Leeds
The OP didn’t travel without a ticket. It was valid. The fact it was accidentally scanned does not invalidate the ticket. They were on the correct train for the ticket, abiding by all the terms and conditions of the same. I would reply, pointing this out, and explaining the circumstances quite simply.
Sorry I don't think I have explained properly. The ticket was dated for 'day 2'. However I had presented it to the inspector on 'day 1' believing it was dated for day 1 (an error when i booked the tickets, thinking I had booked two singles for the same day).
I thought the ticket was still valid on day 2 but I was then given the report when it was scanned by the inspector.
 

AlterEgo

Verified Rep - Wingin' It! Paul Lucas
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Sorry I don't think I have explained properly. The ticket was dated for 'day 2'. However I had presented it to the inspector on 'day 1' believing it was dated for day 1 (an error when i booked the tickets, thinking I had booked two singles for the same day).
I thought the ticket was still valid on day 2 but I was then given the report when it was scanned by the inspector.
The ticket was an advance, right? You mistakenly presented it on, say, Monday, but it was actually for the Tuesday.

I'd mention nothing about any interaction for the first day and point out you were using the ticket on the correct day, on the correct train, on the second day. That a ticket has been scanned does not immediately nullify its validity; all it does is inform the inspector it has been scanned and when and where this was, no more.
 

schm565

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Leeds
The ticket was an advance, right? You mistakenly presented it on, say, Monday, but it was actually for the Tuesday.

I'd mention nothing about any interaction for the first day and point out you were using the ticket on the correct day, on the correct train, on the second day. That a ticket has been scanned does not immediately nullify its validity; all it does is inform the inspector it has been scanned and when and where this was, no more.
Ok , that's good to know that the ticket was in fact valid (yes it was an advance single).
 

AlterEgo

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Ok , that's good to know that the ticket was in fact valid (yes it was an advance single).
To be clear, you should explain you mistakenly presented it, but that is it. If the staff member forgot about you and advised you to get a refund on the ticket I don't think anyone can argue you actually used the ticket. It had no value whatsoever on the first day.
 

WesternLancer

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Ok , that's good to know that the ticket was in fact valid (yes it was an advance single).
When you draft your reply get ppl here to check it before you send it. They can check you use correct railway type terminology which will help ensure what you are trying to explain is understood by the TPE staff dealing with your case hopefully.
 
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Sorry I don't think I have explained properly. The ticket was dated for 'day 2'. However I had presented it to the inspector on 'day 1' believing it was dated for day 1 (an error when i booked the tickets, thinking I had booked two singles for the same day).
I thought the ticket was still valid on day 2 but I was then given the report when it was scanned by the inspector.
Just to be clear, did you effectively use the same ticket to cover travel on both days, or did you buy another one at any point?
 

schm565

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Just to be clear, did you effectively use the same ticket to cover travel on both days, or did you buy another one at any point?
I didn't buy another one because I believed it was still valid for use on the following day (the date specified on the ticket)
 
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I didn't buy another one because I believed it was still valid for use on the following day (the date specified on the ticket)
So you didn't at any point have a valid ticket for your journey on day 1, a fact that was picked up by the inspector at the time? It does seem odd that she'd simply ignore this and 'let you off', but I don't know how likely or realistic it is that TPE can retrospectively join up the dots and identify that not only were you presenting an invalid ticket that day but that you didn't have a valid one (for that day), either before boarding the train or after being challenged.
 

AlterEgo

Verified Rep - Wingin' It! Paul Lucas
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So you didn't at any point have a valid ticket for your journey on day 1, a fact that was picked up by the inspector at the time? It does seem odd that she'd simply ignore this and 'let you off', but I don't know how likely or realistic it is that TPE can retrospectively join up the dots and identify that not only were you presenting an invalid ticket that day but that you didn't have a valid one (for that day), either before boarding the train or after being challenged.
Either way, many people here will argue the guard gave the OP authority to travel by acknowledging the invalidity of the OP's ticket, suggesting they refund the ticket and allowing them to continue with no consequence.
 

island

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He issued the report and made out it was somehow better than a penalty fare (which I'm now not sure of).
Just to note that a Penalty Fare could not have been validly issued as you presented a valid ticket at the time.
 
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Either way, many people here will argue the guard gave the OP authority to travel by acknowledging the invalidity of the OP's ticket, suggesting they refund the ticket and allowing them to continue with no consequence.
I don't know what happened when OP went to the barriers on arrival on day 1 but suspect that they'd have had difficulty convincing any gateline staff of that!
 
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