Witness Statement Receipt - Advice

[TrainTom]

Hi, I received a witness statement receipt today for a journey from Stevenage to Hitchin with a 26-30 Railcard which I paid £1.25 on the trainline app, I purchased my tickets prior to entering the train, the time stamp on my ticket reads 15:21:14, the train departed 15:22 on Realtime trains. Ticket type: Standard Class.
I arrived to Hitchin there was a line of ticket inspectors he scanned my ticket he never really explained why I was getting a witness statement reciept but I think the suggestion that was that I bought the ticket after or during the journey. The ticket inspector said it hadn't been scanned. As I was rushing to catch a train which hadn't arrived and I was unsure as whether I'd missed or catch another one, I took the lift at Stevenage as it was the closest fastest route to get to the platform, there was not a member of staff present scanning tickets so that's why. This is the first time this has ever happened to me, so not sure what to do, do I need to seek to request cctv footage from Stevenage station preemptively to prove that I had purchased my ticket prior to boarding the train. I go through Hitchin train station pretty much daily and never had any problems. Thanks for your help.

 

[AlterEgo]

They can see what time you bought your ticket from the scan and will know when the train left Stevenage. When did you buy it, and what train did you take?

 

[walkingsophie]

They can see what time you bought your ticket from the scan and will know when the train left Stevenage. When did you buy it, and what train did you take?

Based on the first post the ticket was bought at 15:21:14 and this is the service taken https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C10171/2026-07-24#allox_id=0

 

[TrainTom]

So I took the 15:20 which only arrived at 15:21 and departed at 15:22. I was on the platform when the ticket was bought and then got on the train. The ticket trainline confirmations arrived in my email at 15:21:10 and the e ticket at 15:21:14. When I initially arrived on the platform from the lift the train had yet to arrive.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

I arrived to Hitchin there was a line of ticket inspectors he scanned my ticket he never really explained why I was getting a witness statement reciept but I think the suggestion that was that I bought the ticket after or during the journey.

They may also have conjectured that you had travelled from further than Stevenage.

You will have to see what they accuse you of, assuming they write to you.

 

[AlterEgo]

They may also have conjectured that you had travelled from further than Stevenage.

You will have to see what they accuse you of, assuming they write to you.

Yes it'll be important to know if Stevenage was the subject of a revenue block, given the inspectors' confidence the ticket was bought on the train. "Hadn't been scanned" is key. But we have seen them make these mistakes before.

 

[TrainTom]

They may also have conjectured that you had travelled from further than Stevenage.

You will have to see what they accuse you of, assuming they write to you.

I did state I came from Stevenage when asked and opened up my trainline app to show that I commute there regularly.

 

[AlterEgo]

I did state I came from Stevenage when asked and opened up my trainline app to show that I commute there regularly.

That shows you've bought tickets to and from there, but not much else.

 

[furlong]

If you did nothing wrong you should hear no more of it.
If you get a bullying letter politely ask them to put up or shut up.
I would indeed request that the CCTV (station concourse, platform and on-train) be preserved as a precaution to help you to prove your origin if that turns out to be what they are disputing.

 

[Egg Centric]

So I took the 15:20 which only arrived at 15:21 and departed at 15:22. I was on the platform when the ticket was bought and then got on the train. The ticket trainline confirmations arrived in my email at 15:21:10 and the e ticket at 15:21:14. When I initially arrived on the platform from the lift the train had yet to arrive.

Did you say all this in the witness statement (and was it written down when you signed it)?

 

[Haywain]

I took the lift at Stevenage

Known as the fare-dodger's lift.

do I need to seek to request cctv footage from Stevenage station

I think that would be advisable. In particular, footage showing you entering the lift at concourse level.

 

[blimmo]

I suspect the RPI has noticed the ticket was bought after the scheduled departure time of the train without checking the actual running times

 

[MarlowDonkey]

So I took the 15:20 which only arrived at 15:21 and departed at 15:22. I was on the platform when the ticket was bought and then got on the train. The ticket trainline confirmations arrived in my email at 15:21:10 and the e ticket at 15:21:14. When I initially arrived on the platform from the lift the train had yet to arrive.

Why do regular travellers open themselves to such accusations by buying their tickets so late? Providing they are buying Anytime or Off Peak tickets, the actual train time on the ticket is unimportant, subject only to peak restriction codes. So buy the ticket once it's been decided to travel that day.

 

[walkingsophie]

Why do regular travellers open themselves to such accusations by buying their tickets so late?

People are entitled to buy their tickets at any time they want before boarding the train, so ideally this shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Haywain]

People are entitled to buy their tickets at any time they want before boarding the train, so ideally this shouldn't be a problem.

Yes, although I'm not cpnvinced that buying on the platform at a barriered starting station is really appropriate.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Hello @TrainTom - what was your rationale for buying the ticket a) once you were already on the station platform* and b) once the train had already arrived and less than 1 minute before the train departed (2 minutes late)? Why not buy the ticket before entering the platform?

* Your post 4 states: "When I initially arrived on the platform from the lift the train had yet to arrive".
So does that mean there is a route which enables an access onto the platform without passing through any "ticket scan" gateline or barrier? Or does Stevenage have no such gates?
I ask because some of my local stations have barriers and some do not.

 

[Swedenorer]

People are entitled to buy their tickets at any time they want before boarding the train, so ideally this shouldn't be a problem.

Unless you want to find yourself arguing about miliseconds! Or finding you can't find a signal and the next train is in two hours.

I would guess that in this case it would come down to their word against the OP possibly with a debate about what time the blasted doors shut and where they were actually standing on the platform. If the doors shut 30 seconds before departure you will be playing with what can be achieved in 12 seconds.

 

[walkingsophie]

So does that mean there is a route which enables an access onto the platform without passing through any "ticket scan" gateline or barrier? Or does Stevenage have no such gates?
I ask because some of my local stations have barriers and some do not.

Stevenage has gatelines, but also has a lift that bypasses the gatelines.

 

[Haywain]

So does that mean there is a route which enables an access onto the platform without passing through any "ticket scan" gateline or barrier? Or does Stevenage have no such gates?

Stevenage has gates but the lift is outside them which is why it is often referred to as the fare dodger's lift.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Stevenage has gates but the lift is outside them which is why it is often referred to as the fare dodger's lift.

That's what I thought. thanks @Haywain and @walkingsophie

 

[blimmo]

Why do regular travellers open themselves to such accusations by buying their tickets so late? Providing they are buying Anytime or Off Peak tickets, the actual train time on the ticket is unimportant, subject only to peak restriction codes. So buy the ticket once it's been decided to travel that day.

Perhaps because if they miss that train they will not need the ticket (because they will travel by bus instead for example)? Since you can no longer refund walk up tickets on the day you'd be throwing away the total ticket price if you're delayed in your journey to the station.

 

[Haywain]

Perhaps because if they miss that train they will not need the ticket (because they will travel by bus instead for example)? Since you can no longer refund walk up tickets on the day you'd be throwing away the total ticket price if you're delayed in your journey to the station.

In the case here, buying a ticket and going through the barriers and down the stairs wouldn't have taken any longer. And, in any event, a refund of an unused ticket is available within 15 minutes of purchase.

 

[blimmo]

In the case here, buying a ticket and going through the barriers and down the stairs wouldn't have taken any longer. And, in any event, a refund of an unused ticket is available within 15 minutes of purchase.

Indeed in this case I would've purchased before I got to the gateline rather than using the lift. I'm also not sure all retailers offer the "mistake refund". I was just trying to point out that leaving a ticket purchase to pretty last minute is not only reasonable but actually incentivised by the industry. I have myself left buying a ticket until I was literally standing in front of the barriers because I didn't know which train I was going to make (and I needed different tickets depending on the train due to a split).

 

[Ediswan]

Stevenage has gates but the lift is outside them which is why it is often referred to as the fare dodger's lift.

I have used the lifts a few times, with a cycle. They are slow, unlikely to be quicker than the gate line and stairs (where there is the option).

 

[Watershed]

Why do regular travellers open themselves to such accusations by buying their tickets so late? Providing they are buying Anytime or Off Peak tickets, the actual train time on the ticket is unimportant, subject only to peak restriction codes. So buy the ticket once it's been decided to travel that day.

Only if you adopt the rail industry's warped mindset could it be seen as reasonable to try to penalise someone who has complied with the requirement to buy before you board, for not doing so an arbitrary (unspecified) amount of time beforehand...

Yes, although I'm not cpnvinced that buying on the platform at a barriered starting station is really appropriate.

Like the vast majority of stations, Stevenage doesn't have a Compulsory Ticket Area. So you are perfectly at liberty to buy your ticket on the platform, if you are able to make your way there. Whilst I agree that I would probably not have done what the OP did, if we take their account at face value they have not committed any offence.

In the case here, buying a ticket and going through the barriers and down the stairs wouldn't have taken any longer.

It wouldn't have taken longer in total but it's understandable that someone would want to know whether or not they are going to make the train before buying a ticket, given that...

And, in any event, a refund of an unused ticket is available within 15 minutes of purchase.

Only some retailers offer this facility. Many have deliberately chosen not to offer it because of the perceived risk of misuse, meaning tickets bought on the day are non-refundable.