Used Expired Railcard for Journey

[rps96]

I was travelling between Guildford and Brighton, and had booked a single ticket using a 26-30 railcard. I believed my railcard was still valid as I hadn’t received a notification of it expiring, but when I was having my ticket checked I found out that my railcard had expired. The gentleman informed me that he was working for the transport police, showing me his credentials and told me that I was being recorded. After I had given him my statement, checking everything that he had written, he informed me that I would be receiving a letter which would allow me to give my explanation as to why I was travelling without a valid railcard. He also told me that I would receive this letter between 2-3 weeks to my home address and this would be delivered to my home address which he took when I gave him my driving license. After our interaction, he gave me a X/S Flexible (Single) - Valid Only With Ticket 0000p - and allowed me to continue with my journey. I was not given any other pieces of paperwork at the time. It have been nearly 3 weeks and I am yet to receive the letter and I would like to know who to contact so I can pay the fine.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Jan 2025 ==

I should also add that the gentleman from the transport police was working with/for GWR.

 

[Hadders]

Welcome to the forum!

We see lots of cases like this on here. I doubt the person who stopped you was working for the transport police, more likely they were a revenue protection inspector working for GWR.

GWR do seem to have a bit of a backlog at the momentso I wouldn't worry too much about not receiving a letter form them just yet. As long as you have them your correct details they will write to you. What happens next is they will send you a letter saying that they have received a report and are considering prosecuting. The letter normally uses quite threatening language but it is an opportunity for you to give your version of events before they decide how to proceed.

GWR will almost always offer an out of court settlement to people who engage with the process and who haven't come to their attention before. Expect to have to pay the cost of the fare at the full Anytime rate with no credit given for the invalid ticket you did purchase plus an admin fee, typically £150. GWR will probably research your ticket purchasing history and if this indicates that you have purchased railcard discounted tickets on other occasion since it expired then they will want to factor the cost of these journeys into the settlement figure.

When it arrives, feel free to post a copy of GWR's letter in this thread (do redact any personal details before doing so) along with your draft reply and forum members will be ahppy to proof read it for you.

 

[Puffing Devil]

it's a shame you didn't post sooner, as I think the body camera footage may well have been deleted by now. Depending on how he presented himself, he may have been committing the offence of impersonating a police officer. It may be worth contacting GWR and asking them if they have the footage from the incident, as you may wish to make a complaint about the officer. You have the time, date and train concerned so it should be possible to for them to locate it quickly.

That said, per Hadders info post above, any complaint will be separate from your own misdemeanour, and you need to continue to respond to that letter as and when it arrives, leaving out any mention of the conduct of the officer. That is a completely separate matter.

 

[Haywain]

Depending on how he presented himself, he may have been committing the offence of impersonating a police officer.

Or it is much more likely that the OP just misunderstood what they were told by a Revenue Protection Inspector.

 

[rps96]

Or it is much more likely that the OP just misunderstood what they were told by a Revenue Protection

it's a shame you didn't post sooner, as I think the body camera footage may well have been deleted by now. Depending on how he presented himself, he may have been committing the offence of impersonating a police officer. It may be worth contacting GWR and asking them if they have the footage from the incident, as you may wish to make a complaint about the officer. You have the time, date and train concerned so it should be possible to for them to locate it quickly.

That said, per Hadders info post above, any complaint will be separate from your own misdemeanour, and you need to continue to respond to that letter as and when it arrives, leaving out any mention of the conduct of the officer. That is a completely separate matter.

I think I may have misunderstood the gentleman I was speaking to, as although he had a camera he was wearing a GWR coat and not a transport police uniform. I’m so sorry for the confusion but thank you to everyone for your help

 

[Puffing Devil]

Or it is much more likely that the OP just misunderstood what they were told by a Revenue Protection Inspector.

Of course, which is why the camera would have been important if the OP hadn't changed their recollection.