Ripped off by Ticket Inspector

System

i went to york last weekend and forgot my f+f rail card , got there no problem as the tickets weren't checked but realized what i had done in the middle of the night !! so went to the train station the next morning and paid the difference for the return journey.

bevanuk

CHRISSYG wrote: »

i went to york last weekend and forgot my f+f rail card , got there no problem as the tickets weren't checked but realized what i had done in the middle of the night !! so went to the train station the next morning and paid the difference for the return journey.

I hope this is sarcasm.

As for the topic - it's right in all fairness. You have to be able to produce your railcard upon request. Even if she had no railcard it would be the same problem.
You can get a 3 year railcard if that's easier.

System

bevanuk wrote: »

I hope this is sarcasm.

As for the topic - it's right in all fairness. You have to be able to produce your railcard upon request. Even if she had no railcard it would be the same problem.
You can get a 3 year railcard if that's easier.

no its not sarcasm !
i forgot my card when i realised i went to the train station to sort it out ,its not rocket science it was an error on my part that i sorted out.

yorkie2

alexman wrote: »

She decided to buy a student train ticket today at £30 return (normally £45) and use the expired card and her student card to explain the situation to any ticket inspectors.

Sounds like intent to avoid the correct fare to me. The correct action for that is a court appearance, and if she admitted this was her intention it would be a very simple case for the court to deal with. Criminal record and a fine of perhaps a couple of hundred pounds or so.

alexman wrote: »

Unfortunately the ticket inspector on todays train was a bit of an a******* by the sounds of it, he was intimidating, threatening,

From the start? Really? Or was this after she refused to buy a new ticket...

alexman wrote: »

and more than one dialled 999 into his phone in order to call the transport police. Naturally, my girlfriend was pressured into buying a single train ticket at a price of £51 as she was worried about being arrested. She then had to buy a return journey ticket at a cost of £18, bringing the whole total to £99.

I don't know the journey made so cannot possibly comment on these figures.

alexman wrote: »

I was thinking of writing to Natwest to complain about the slow service resulting in my girlfriend not having a Student Railcard when she needed it

Fair enough.

alexman wrote: »

and also complaining to the train company about the ticket inspectors actions and behaviour.

Sounds like he shouldn't have issued a fare, he should have reported her for prosecution. Report that if you like, it may not be too late...

alexman wrote: »

I was wondering what you guys think about this course of action, and could offer any advice? I know that train companies tend to be notoriously difficult to talk to

I cannot possibly offer advice on the fares quoted as I have no idea what the origin, destination, route, train operator, time of travel were.

But if you are asking if the action to charge for a new ticket was correct, yes it was, though if she admitted her intention to avoid the fare, the inspector should have taken a witness statement and reported her for prosecution. You admit here that she never intended to pay the correct fare and that she intended to avoid this and pay the discounted fare, to which she was not entitled as she did not hold a valid railcard.

Stigy

She got off lightly. It's amazing how many of these cases concern intimidating and aggressive Revenue Staff, it's almost as if the offenders are trying to in some way justify their wrong doing! This would have been a very easy case to prosecute, and it seems the RPI used discretion, where needn't have. Of course, it might have been a Guard and not an RPI, in which case they'll more often than not only be able to sell a ticket anyway, as in this case.

Livingthedream

Not much help, but as the invalid £30 return ticket wasn't used you could apply for a refund of those tickets, so £30 - an admin fee (normally £10) = £20 back, better than nothing I suppose.:o

silvercar

Once the natwest railcard arrives it will be validated from July 2011 to July 2012, as all nattiest issued railcards are. With that in your hand you may be able to receive a refund less admin charge.

System

silvercar wrote: »

Once the natwest railcard arrives it will be validated from July 2011 to July 2012, as all nattiest issued railcards are. With that in your hand you may be able to receive a refund less admin charge.

would that make a difference ? she knowingly traveled with an invalid card

bevanuk

silvercar wrote: »

Once the natwest railcard arrives it will be validated from July 2011 to July 2012, as all nattiest issued railcards are. With that in your hand you may be able to receive a refund less admin charge.

I don't think that will work, you have to have your railcard at time of travel.
If it's Natwests error then the best people to try and get refunded would be them - although I doubt they will.

As for going back to the station and buying a full price ticket AFTER you have travelled that is very excessive. You are only required to produce your railcard IF asked - you were not asked, so whether you have it or not is irrelevant? You made a genuine mistake.

System

bevanuk wrote: »

As for going back to the station and buying a full price ticket AFTER you have travelled that is very excessive. You are only required to produce your railcard IF asked - you were not asked, so whether you have it or not is irrelevant? You made a genuine mistake.

is that reply to my post ? i went away for the weekend so i did need to correct my mistake for the return journey , all i paid was the difference for the return trip. the tickets were checked on the train so im certainly glad i sorted it out !