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Will I get a Pentaly Fare?

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montypython33

Member
Joined
27 Aug 2025
Messages
14
Location
Birmingham
Hi all,

Today I scanned my ticket at the barriers in Liecester and the gates wouldnt open, I was confused and showed my ticket to the EMR worker behind who scanned the ticket and said it had already been used.

He showed me that the ticket was used the same day on his scanner and I told him I hadn't used it. He said that the scanner must be 'fibbing' and said nothing he could do told me goodbye.

Now I'm worrying becuase I'm not sure if I can be issued a fine for not having the correct ticket for the journey. He never told me I'd be issued a penalty fare or anything but there were revenue protection officers just outside the station so I'm worried he might show them it and they could issue me one? can this happen? can the EMR worker give me a fine without me knowing? he scanned my ticket so im sure it has been linked to my account and can find my details easily.

I've been fined before for not having the correct ticket and learned my mistake however I'm worried they might take it further without telling me and pass it to the prosecution team.

Any advice on if the EMR workers can hand the scan over or if they can fine me without me knowing would be very appreciated, thank you.

The ticket was Leicester to Birmingham open return within 1 month with Cross Country trains.
 
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AlterEgo

Verified Rep - Wingin' It! Paul Lucas
Joined
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29,413
Location
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Did you scan the ticket at the beginning of your journey, or at the end?
 

z444z

Established Member
Joined
17 Apr 2022
Messages
1,219
Location
London
You can’t be given a penalty fare after the incident, they have to be issued at the time.

It’s possible they’ll pass this on and EMR then might contact you threatening prosecution or offering an out of court settlement (or both) but I have a feeling this is very unlikely to happen given what you’ve told us.
 

fandroid

Established Member
Joined
9 Nov 2014
Messages
2,563
Location
Hampshire
Did you travel to Birmingham? If so, did you open the barriers there with the ticket? (I'm assuming it was New Street station).
 

WesternLancer

Veteran Member
Joined
12 Apr 2019
Messages
15,130
Hi all,

Today I scanned my ticket at the barriers in Liecester and the gates wouldnt open, I was confused and showed my ticket to the EMR worker behind who scanned the ticket and said it had already been used.

He showed me that the ticket was used the same day on his scanner and I told him I hadn't used it. He said that the scanner must be 'fibbing' and said nothing he could do told me goodbye.

Now I'm worrying becuase I'm not sure if I can be issued a fine for not having the correct ticket for the journey. He never told me I'd be issued a penalty fare or anything but there were revenue protection officers just outside the station so I'm worried he might show them it and they could issue me one? can this happen? can the EMR worker give me a fine without me knowing? he scanned my ticket so im sure it has been linked to my account and can find my details easily.

I've been fined before for not having the correct ticket and learned my mistake however I'm worried they might take it further without telling me and pass it to the prosecution team.

Any advice on if the EMR workers can hand the scan over or if they can fine me without me knowing would be very appreciated, thank you.

The ticket was Leicester to Birmingham open return within 1 month with Cross Country trains.
as mentioned - you cannot be issued with a penalty fare after an event some time later.

In some ways that is a mixed blessing as a penalty fare is actually the least worst sanction that can be issued in most cases (apart from just being told off and nothing else happening).

But they can write to you (or e-mail so also check spam) asking you about any ticket irregularity they think may have happened and typically asking for 'your version of events' - if that happens head here for advice before sending them any sort of reply at all (don't even acknowledge the e-mail until you have got advice on what best to do).

Having said all this i suspect your conversation on the gate line will probably be the end of the matter and you won't hear anything else in future.

Presumably you would know if you had in fact used or scanned the ticket before (which could happen in a such a way that wasn't wrong - eg you might scan a ticket to go to the platform, see your train is delayed, so leave the platform without travelling in order to come back later on - this must happen to people and in my view would be perfectly legitimate behaviour - but it would result in a ticket scanner thinking a ticket has been 'used')
 

ChilliSauce

On Moderation
Joined
28 Oct 2025
Messages
328
Hi all,

Today I scanned my ticket at the barriers in Liecester and the gates wouldnt open, I was confused and showed my ticket to the EMR worker behind who scanned the ticket and said it had already been used.

He showed me that the ticket was used the same day on his scanner and I told him I hadn't used it. He said that the scanner must be 'fibbing' and said nothing he could do told me goodbye.

Now I'm worrying becuase I'm not sure if I can be issued a fine for not having the correct ticket for the journey. He never told me I'd be issued a penalty fare or anything but there were revenue protection officers just outside the station so I'm worried he might show them it and they could issue me one? can this happen? can the EMR worker give me a fine without me knowing? he scanned my ticket so im sure it has been linked to my account and can find my details easily.

I've been fined before for not having the correct ticket and learned my mistake however I'm worried they might take it further without telling me and pass it to the prosecution team.

Any advice on if the EMR workers can hand the scan over or if they can fine me without me knowing would be very appreciated, thank you.

The ticket was Leicester to Birmingham open return within 1 month with Cross Country trains.
I think it might be helpful if you were to disclose the time when this happened ...because if this was at some Stupid-O'Clock in the morning could you actually have used the ticket then retraced your steps and then used it again ? If the answer is so then it would seem to show the scanner and the barrier checking to be about as much use as a chocolate teapot
 

island

Veteran Member
Joined
30 Dec 2010
Messages
17,910
Location
0036
Did you scan the ticket to enter Leicester station, or to leave?

How did you pass through the ticket gates if they rejected your ticket?
 

Haywain

Veteran Member
Joined
3 Feb 2013
Messages
24,634
Any advice on if the EMR workers can hand the scan over or if they can fine me without me knowing would be very appreciated, thank you.

The ticket was Leicester to Birmingham open return within 1 month with Cross Country trains.
It's not very clear from your posts what actually happened but if you were prevented from entering the barriers at Leicester station, intending to make a journey to Birmingham, because the ticket had already been used then it is unlikely that anything more will come of this. However, it would help us if you could be clearer about what actually happened.
 

saismee

Established Member
Joined
20 Oct 2023
Messages
1,720
Location
UK
Another important question, did you actually attempt to reuse the ticket?
 

RUFJAN15

Member
Joined
1 Jan 2015
Messages
49
It would also be helpful to know how the E-ticket was purchased. If it came from an unofficial source then maybe it was sold to more than one traveller?
 
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