10 ways to avoid penalty fares on trains - Evening Standard

Altarf

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23731140-details/10+ways+to+avoid+penalty+fares+on+trains/article.do

aqueoushumour01

i would have thought one way would suffice - buy a ticket in the first place

chuckley

i think the fail is the lack of ticket... NEXT...

westv

Well I actuallty read the article and it seems to make sense to me.

Takoda

I like the article. It informs people who do not need to pay a penalty fare of their rights. Most of the hints and tips apply to people who have genuine tickets anyway!

WickedWolfie

SueSueSue wrote: »

Surely buying a ticket and avoiding the whole process makes more sense.

A pretty ridicolous article to publish basically instructing the criminal among their readership how to defraud companies easier and put fares up for everyone else.

Perhaps if the useless greddy b**t***d private crooks running our rail "service" (ha, ha, ha) remembered the word in quotes we would have less problems. Yes, I buy my ticket (annual gold travelcard), yes, when I have to travel out of my zone I will always try to pay, yes you better believe I will take account of this article.

It ain't rocket science to have the ticket office (and no, that does not mean one window in rush hour) open. It is NOT conincidental that so many train operating companies are trying to reduce ticket office openning hours....the con not mentioned is that ticket machines do not do the whole range of tickets and often do not do discounts for railcards and/or zones already bought.

Perhaps a few County Court actions against the rail companies? Even if lost their legal bills amount to more than the cost of the action!!"!

bumpoowee

I see my previous post was removed yet the two idiots who posted sarcky crap are allowed to have their stupidity published - says it all about this site.

Our rail service is absolutely ****ing appalling. For example just today I've come home on my 3rd choice of train after the first two failed to turn up. The only way it could be any worse is by being run by a bunch of hitler wannabes who make threats of criminal records etc. for you having the cheek to board without a ticket after queueing 10 minutes in their ridiculously understaffed ticket offices and not being able to use their ticket machines because they break down all the time.

Considering most trains are late (despite the train companies' own nonsensical statistics on this) it is unreasonable to expect people to turn up 20 minutes early to queue to buy a ticket, only to have to wait an extra 20 minutes because the train can't follow a simple timetable.

KeithP

bumpoowee wrote: »

...
Considering most trains are late (despite the train companies' own nonsensical statistics on this) it is unreasonable to expect people to turn up 20 minutes early to queue to buy a ticket, only to have to wait an extra 20 minutes because the train can't follow a simple timetable.

Do you have any statistics to back up your statements?

bumpoowee

KeithP wrote: »

Do you have any statistics to back up your statements?

No - I actually TRAVEL BY TRAIN every day rather than waffle a load of nonsense on a subject I know nothing about like some people.

andygb

bumpoowee wrote: »

I see my previous post was removed yet the two idiots who posted sarcky crap are allowed to have their stupidity published - says it all about this site.

Our rail service is absolutely ****ing appalling. For example just today I've come home on my 3rd choice of train after the first two failed to turn up. The only way it could be any worse is by being run by a bunch of hitler wannabes who make threats of criminal records etc. for you having the cheek to board without a ticket after queueing 10 minutes in their ridiculously understaffed ticket offices and not being able to use their ticket machines because they break down all the time.

Considering most trains are late (despite the train companies' own nonsensical statistics on this) it is unreasonable to expect people to turn up 20 minutes early to queue to buy a ticket, only to have to wait an extra 20 minutes because the train can't follow a simple timetable.

Most trains are not late, some trains are, and it can be annoying. If you travel by train every day, then surely you would have a yearly/monthly season ticket? If your station has only one kiosk, then turn up early and wait. I used to commute every day, and it was unbelievable on a Monday morning, how many people would turn up with one minute to go, and then expect the guy behind the glass, to be able to turn over twenty tickets in sixty seconds. You usually have the option of an automatic ticket machine, and a machine where you can buy a permit to travel.
Fare dodging is a crime, and it really narks me when people try it on.

FARE-COP

bumpoowee wrote: »

No - I actually TRAVEL BY TRAIN every day rather than waffle a load of nonsense on a subject I know nothing about like some people.

That's about as useful an answer as suggesting that because I make my own coffee at breakfast I'm qualified to run a resturant!

Realistically, you may travel on line that has more problems than the average. There are problem 'hot-spots' on the rail network and I sympathise if you suffer from travelling on one of these, but it is wrong to make wild generalisations in these situations. Factually, the vast majority of trains nationwide run on time, but that isn't the issue here, avoiding being charged a penalty fare is.

If TOCs are to reduce the number of penalty fare notices issued, one of the most likely outcomes is that many more people will be reported for potential prosecution for either allegations of fare evasion or, Byelaw offences.

Don't get me wrong, I don't condone what appears to be TOCs using PFs as a 'blunt instrument' revenue raising tool, but unfortunately, many incidents that could be prosecuted are often dealt with wrongly by poorly motivated and even worse trained revenue staff, who issue a penalty notice as the immediate response to every ticket-less incident. This is seen as a 'cop-out' by the better revenue staff.

However, many TOC managements do little to deter the practice as direct income accrues whilst reducing reporting paperwork and the need for more advanced staff training. Clearly, this presents yet another cost saving to be lined up alongside reduced booking office & station staff contact hours.

On the flip-side, fare evasion is at its worst in areas where commuter traffic is at its highest density. From my long experience in reporting, investigating and prosecuting such matters, I can say that the greatest number of offenders falls within a group who are most able to pay. These people usually have good jobs, and often enjoy a reasonably comfortable lifestyle, but with big mortgages and other demands, succumb to opportunity from time to time and then seek to excuse their actions by blaming the system.

Opportunist fare evasion is increasing, and no-one should be surprised that is the case in the current financial climate.

What must always be borne in mind is the fact that an inspector is not forced to issue a penalty fare notice just because a traveller is in an area where penalty fares can be charged. If the inspector does not believe your story then you may find yourself facing a more serious report.

The failure of TOCs to recognise the rights & needs of their 'customers' is often cited when referring to these matters. I often think it is important to make the same distinction that the law does. 'Customers' are people who have paid for something, rail legislation always refers to 'passengers'.

The way to avoid being issued a penalty or, other more serious report where reasonable ticket issuing facilities are available, is simply to buy a ticket.

Boarding a train and intending to pay if someone asks is a very dangerous game to play as Mr Corbyn discovered following the Appeal Court judgement in 1978.

Where there are genuine infrastructure failures and that includes excessive queuing of 5 minutes or more every day, no-one should be unnecessarily penalised, but by the same degree, no-one should avoid paying a fare just because an opportunity presents itself.