Help with DLR penalty fare

swiftview

So yesterday, I was travelling from Beckton to Prince Regent on the DLR. I touched my Oyster in and it didn't register because of insufficient funds, but I was wearing headphones and did not notice this so I just went on the train. Thus, when the inspector checked my Oyster, I got fined £40, reason being NVP (Not valid at place checked).

Here's the thing - when I received the fine, the inspector wrote me a penalty fare notice, and on the notice he misspelled the street name of my address. I didn't realise this was a big issue then, so after I got home I paid the fine online straight away.

Basically I just found out that if any of the information on the notice was wrong, the penalty fare may be void as a result. When I made the payment online, I gave my correct address. I'm just wondering if there's a chance the system won't register my payment because the address doesn't match, and refund me.

Also, is it possible for me to make an appeal based on my not-realising-the-oyster-wasn't-touched-in, as well as the above reason (address doesn't match) ?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

spiro

You wore headphones, didn't hear it bleep at you when you swiped, whose fault is that theirs or yours? :rotfl:

swiftview

Yes I know I'm in the wrong on that part But will the whole address issue work in my favor? Cos it's not like I'm intentionally trying to avoid paying the fare

Jeff_Bridges_hair

Not really no. You can appeal it on that grounds but I doubt it will be upheld. At the end of the day you were not travelling with a valid ticket.

Pay it and move on is what I would do.

neilmcl

swiftview wrote: »

Yes I know I'm in the wrong on that part

No, you were in the wrong for the whole of it.

swiftview wrote: »

But will the whole address issue work in my favor? Cos it's not like I'm intentionally trying to avoid paying the fare

Really, what's the point of the thread then.

Livingthedream

swiftview wrote: »

Basically I just found out that if any of the information on the notice was wrong, the penalty fare may be void as a result. When I made the payment online, I gave my correct address. I'm just wondering if there's a chance the system won't register my payment because the address doesn't match, and refund me.

The system will recognise the online serial number of the PFN and not the address, therefore it will be quite happily to take the payment against it.

swiftview wrote: »

Also, is it possible for me to make an appeal based on my not-realising-the-oyster-wasn't-touched-in, as well as the above reason (address doesn't match) ?

You have the right to appeal, Even if the PFN was technically invalid???? you have paid, therefore, there's a good chance the appeal will be rejected as they have your money and won't want to give it back.

yorkie2

swiftview wrote: »

Yes I know I'm in the wrong on that part But will the whole address issue work in my favor? Cos it's not like I'm intentionally trying to avoid paying the fare

But you've not been accused of intentionally trying to avoid paying the fare! If you were being accused of that, you'd sent a letter asking you to provide a Statement and then possibly sent another letter of intention to prosecute. The offence would be recordable (and thus show up on any future CRB check) and you'd been asked to pay the fare due, plus their costs, plus a fine.

You were not, in fact, actually fined. You were merely issued a Penalty Fare, which is a charge made to passengers in certain areas and on certain trains for an honest mistake.