DLR penalty fare

batman67

Hi all - I wondered if you could advise me on something?

I was in London one day last week, and travelling from the City to Canary Wharf for a meeting. I swiped my oyster card to get through the barriers at Bank, and jumped on a DLR to Canary Wharf. At Canary Wharf, as an infrequent visitor to London (I live in Yorkshire) and a VERY infrequent user of the DLR, and in my haste to make my meeting on time, I forgot to swipe my oyster card to exit the station.

After my meeting I returned to Canary Wharf station and just jumped on the next DLR to Bank - again I was in a rush for another meet, and as I'm used to being prompted for my ticket by physical barriers it just didn't occur to me to swipe my oyster card. I clearly wasn't trying to evade paying as there are barriers at Bank that I would have had no way of bypassing.

Whilst on the journey to Bank a ticket inspector appeared - at which point my oversight immediately dawned on me. He promptly issued me a £25 penalty notice. But advised me to appeal.

They certainly don't go out of their way to remind you to swipe in and out on the DLR. And I'm sure this is a very convenient revenue stream for them.

I just wondered if anyone has any advice. Do I have good grounds for an appeal as a non-London resident/commuter? Has anybody had a similar experience? All thoughts are appreciated!

Thanks
Bx

geordieracer

By all means appeal but even you have admitted that you forgot to touch in so you are effectively travelling without a valid ticket so ill doubt you will get anywhere with the appeal.

slyracoon

What do you think?

My local train station doesn't have barriers, dosen't mean I can board without a valid ticket (be that a paper ticket, or validated oyster).

movilogo

Lots of stations do not have barriers. Forgetting to swipe is not an excuse I'm afraid.

£25 fine is not too much either.

Stigy

By all means appeal the Penalty Fare, you have nothing to lose, afterall! The problem is, the staff don't know you from Adam, and you saying it's clear you weren't trying to evade your fare just won't wash. Having said that, I'm sure if the Inspector thought you were trying to evade your fare, he'd have reported you under TfL Byelaws or possibly other legislatioin (I believe, although different to National Rail Byelaws, the principle is the same in that you become liable for prosecution should you not produce a valid ticket).

The Penalty fare is, or should be, a civil remedy for an otherwise criminal matter.

jimmym105

Charge to expenses?

Altarf

movilogo wrote: »

Lots of stations do not have barriers. Forgetting to swipe is not an excuse I'm afraid.

But most stations don't have the sneaky system that they do on the DLR where the Oyster scanners are hidden out of the way, never on the platform, usually at the bottom of the stairs, and often behind a pillar so you don't see them as you walk past. All that is missing is the sign saying "beware of the leopard".

The problem is that when you are used to using the tube you can't forget to swipe in or out, but on the DLR it is all too easy. I use the DLR normally once a week, and still on occasion only remember that I haven't swiped out as I have got a few hundred yards down the road.

Would it be so hard for them to have put the scanners in a more obvious position?

George_Michael

Would it be so hard for them to have put the scanners in a more obvious position

Then watch some idiot walk into it, state that it injured them and then get a "no win no fee" lawyer to get them a few £k compo.

sirmarcus

Must be a banker surely ??:rotfl: