Train Fare-No ticket fine - please help!

poorgirl-54

i was travelling between leeds and london, i purchased the ticket for the journey online with my student railcard with the option to collect via fast-ticket machine at the station. (note: i always book the ticket in advance online - EastCoast trains website and collect from the fast ticket machine).
So i get to the fast-ticket machine grab my tickets and run and get on the right train, and relax for the journey.

So the (witch) the ticket inspecter came, i handed her my tickets and railcard. And she said theres no ticket for the journey!! Im like what??? She says this isn't a valid ticket, so basically the tickets were the reservation ticket and the coupon ticket, but no train ticket. I told her the machine ony printed this, she said i was being dishonest, - she humiliated me infront of everyone. I never leave the fast-ticket machine without double checking everything has printed. So i dont understand and i never realised that this ticket was missing.

So issued me with a fine of £111 for no ticket, to pay in 21 days - and she told she was being nice, otherwise she i had to pay there and then. So i appealed againtst the penalty fare and told them the fast-ticket machine didnt print all my tickets, i did pay for the journey, they upheld my appeal, replied after 21 days and fined me additionally for not paying of £144.

Then i wrote them a letter showing purchase of ticket, with credit card transaction statement clearly showing i purchased the ticket and the fast-ticket machine didnt print the ticket. They never replied and ignored my letter and fined me a further £166 for another penalty for not paying it.

Im a student i can't afford to pay this, please help what do i do?

taffy056

If they upheld your appeal, why are they still pursuing you ?

boliston

A friend of mine had a similar problem with a fast ticket machine not printing all the coupons and they made him pay again on the train and said he would get a refund if he wrote to head office. I'm not sure why you got fined as they would presumably have a record of the purchase on their system.

graemecarter

poorgirl-54 wrote: »

i was travelling between leeds and london, i purchased the ticket for the journey online with my student railcard with the option to collect via fast-ticket machine at the station. (note: i always book the ticket in advance online - EastCoast trains website and collect from the fast ticket machine).
So i get to the fast-ticket machine grab my tickets and run and get on the right train, and relax for the journey.

So the (witch) the ticket inspecter came, i handed her my tickets and railcard. And she said theres no ticket for the journey!! Im like what??? She says this isn't a valid ticket, so basically the tickets were the reservation ticket and the coupon ticket, but no train ticket. I told her the machine ony printed this, she said i was being dishonest, - she humiliated me infront of everyone. I never leave the fast-ticket machine without double checking everything has printed. So i dont understand and i never realised that this ticket was missing.

So issued me with a fine of £111 for no ticket, to pay in 21 days - and she told she was being nice, otherwise she i had to pay there and then. So i appealed againtst the penalty fare and told them the fast-ticket machine didnt print all my tickets, i did pay for the journey, they upheld my appeal, replied after 21 days and fined me additionally for not paying of £144.

Then i wrote them a letter showing purchase of ticket, with credit card transaction statement clearly showing i purchased the ticket and the fast-ticket machine didnt print the ticket. They never replied and ignored my letter and fined me a further £166 for another penalty for not paying it.

Im a student i can't afford to pay this, please help what do i do?

So you did check or didn't check??
It could be your fault. It may not be, but there is that possibility.
Put it down to experience...

PS - what were you doing in London? Why didn't you get the coach (you say you're a student and cannot afford the fine)

taffy056

graemecarter wrote: »

PS - what were you doing in London? Why didn't you get the coach (you say you're a student and cannot afford the fine)

Why is that relevant ? Really its nothing to do with us why he was there, perhaps he's from london and student elsewhere !

Its not a fine unless a court says it is , and as it not gone there as yet we shouldn't calling it that!

OP have you appealed to the correct place, I don't believe its the train company but an appeals service you do so.

Livingthedream

Write the following letters;

1. Passenger Focus - Explain what you have told us and how unhappy you are with the decision of the appeals process.
2. Whoever you appeal against the unpaid fares notice, probably IRCAS - Explain how unhappy you are with their decision and your involving passenger focus.
3. The Train Company involved, probably East Coast - Explain again what you told us and how you unhappy with their fast ticket machine.

With all the letters add photo copies of all documents and your online records of the advance ticket that you purchased.

Also have a read of this thread it's about a similar situation to yourself, but the ticket machine/office was closed and the poster got an UFN but appealed it and won.

Livingthedream

Forgot to add, join this forum: RailUK Forum and post your orginal post on there, they are a font of knowledge with all things to do with the railways and will give you a lot more guidance on how to successfully appeal your UFN.

poorgirl-54

taffy056 wrote: »

If they upheld your appeal, why are they still pursuing you ?

.... as in they rejected my appeal
and i am still pursing, because i did buy the ticket for the journey and i shouldnt have to pay the fine!

poorgirl-54

taffy056 wrote: »

Why is that relevant ? Really its nothing to do with us why he was there, perhaps he's from london and student elsewhere !

Its not a fine unless a court says it is , and as it not gone there as yet we shouldn't calling it that!

OP have you appealed to the correct place, I don't believe its the train company but an appeals service you do so.

Thanks!
agreed! its not relevant.
I appeald IRCAS (independent appeals) on online and was rejected.

McKneff

You said 'they upheld my appeal' that means they agreed with you................

Hope you're not an Studying Engish......................

poorgirl-54

Livingthedream wrote: »

Write the following letters;

1. Passenger Focus - Explain what you have told us and how unhappy you are with the decision of the appeals process.
2. Whoever you appeal against the unpaid fares notice, probably IRCAS - Explain how unhappy you are with their decision and your involving passenger focus.
3. The Train Company involved, probably East Coast - Explain again what you told us and how you unhappy with their fast ticket machine.

With all the letters add photo copies of all documents and your online records of the advance ticket that you purchased.

Also have a read of this thread it's about a similar situation to yourself, but the ticket machine/office was closed and the poster got an UFN but appealed it and won.

Thanks i really appreciate your help on this, very useful, and will send letters to all 3.

Also thanks - i read the thread by the person, very similar, and i also received the same letter responses as him from IRCAS.
But i am worried that IRCAS will as per him, issue me with their final letter stating they investigated the case but will still penalty fare isn't dropped. The only things is that person somersetboy, didn't update to say what action he took next.