Is it illegal to pass on your still valid bus day ticket to someone else

judywoody

OK - I am not British so I am not really familiar with the law in that regard because it is allowed in my home country.
Once a week I have to purchase a saveaway ticket that I use on the buses and trains. It is valid all day and I can use it as many times as I want on buses and trains is my area. On the same day my husband has to go to an appointment and he also takes the bus. By that time I am usually home and I give him my ticket so we can save some money because the ticket costs 3.40£ which is good but we're struggling a bit with money at the moment. This ticket is just a normal day ticket (no season ticket) - no picture, no personal data, no nothing. I have never seen any signs on the buses or bus stops saying that this would be illegal. But someone else told me today that strictly spoken it is illegal. I couldn't find any information on Google. Maybe the companies don't like it and include in their policy (haven't found anything though) but is it against the LAW?? I have seen a lot of people passing their tickets on to someone else (they obviously don't sell it). Can anyone enlighten me?

McKneff

I wouldnt worry about it, just be quiet about it. Strictly speaking, yes it is, after all you are doing the company out of another fare,
Ive done it, many times, I see other people doing it.

Like I say, dont worry about it but dont let anyone actually see you doing it, which is unlikely if you are passing it on at home.

terryw

Sorry that I can't give an definite answer but several underground stations have signs outside requesting that you don't pass on your tickets to the peeps asking outside. They do sell them on.

terryw

Last year, I turned up at the railway station with a spare ticket to London as my pal could not go at the last moment. I offered the ticket free to anyone in the queue who could use, and I was asked very firmly to desist and if not the police would be called. Looks like it might possibly be illegal under the railway bye-laws.

judywoody

Mmmhh...I still can't find anything on Google..I get the feeling that the railway and bus companies just want to make it look illegal. I wonder if it is an urban myth so they can get you to buy another ticket. I wouldn't sell my ticket or give it to someone who looks like he will sell the ticket. Why does it not say ON THE TICKET that is is illegal? Maybe because it is not and they can't force you? I would like to see the paragraph that says you are not allowed to do it? If I give my ticket to someone else I don't REALLY cheat. If I use it 10 times then it's ok but if I only use it 5 times and then pass it on to someone who uses it another 5 times, it's not? Where is the sense in that? It's not like I am using it at the same time as the other person (which is physically impossible) but I am just making the most out of it. I can understand that you can not share a season ticket. But a day ticket? C'mon!

Enfieldian

Anything that involves some overpriced supplier not being able to increase their unjustified profits is most likely illegal.

dzug1

It's definitely not allowed - but in many circumstances is undetectible.

catfish50

terryw wrote: »

Last year, I turned up at the railway station with a spare ticket to London as my pal could not go at the last moment. I offered the ticket free to anyone in the queue who could use, and I was asked very firmly to desist and if not the police would be called. Looks like it might possibly be illegal under the railway bye-laws.

Yes, it is, for good reasons. (People hanging around stations searching for discarded tickets with a view to selling them on, often to get money to buy drugs or booze -- different from your case where you were giving the ticket away)

I've passed on tickets many times to people known to me, and I personally don't consider it wrong to do so, even though it is indeed illegal.

judywoody

Ok, just found the T&C for the saveaway ticket and it says they are not transferable. But I would like to see the law that goes with it? Using the bus is already really expensive and they hike it up every year and become more unreliable. Think it's a bit cheeky of them - I remember in my old home town where I come from I could buy a single ticket and it was valid for the entire journey even if I had to change buses. Over here, I HAVE to pay twice or get a day ticket to be able to change buses. There were even season ticket available that were a wee bit more expensive BUT they were transferable and you could take another adult with you AND up to 4 kids. And the buses were reliable...sorry for my little rant here..Just find that very annoying..

judywoody

catfish50 wrote: »

Yes, it is, for good reasons. (People hanging around stations searching for discarded tickets with a view to selling them on, often to get money to buy drugs or booze -- different from your case where you were giving the ticket away)

I've passed on tickets many times to people known to me, and I personally don't consider it wrong to do so, even though it is indeed illegal.

I can see that point - but anyone with a common sense wouldn't pass his ticket on to someone like that. And I understand that it is not ok to SELL you ticket. I don't think the bus companies could care less about someones drug addiction - they are just worried about their revenue...

catfish50

judywoody wrote: »

Ok, just found the T&C for the saveaway ticket and it says they are not transferable. But I would like to see the law that goes with it? Using the bus is already really expensive and they hike it up every year and become more unreliable. Think it's a bit cheeky of them - I remember in my old home town where I come from I could buy a single ticket and it was valid for the entire journey even if I had to change buses. Over here, I HAVE to pay twice or get a day ticket to be able to change buses. There were even season ticket available that were a wee bit more expensive BUT they were transferable and you could take another adult with you AND up to 4 kids. And the buses were reliable...sorry for my little rant here..Just find that very annoying..

Speaking as an immigrant to this country myself (fifty years ago) I always think it's good manners NOT to rant on about how much better it was somewhere else.