Contesting a penalty train fare

Mr_Singleton

aleph_0 wrote: »

A penalty fare shouldn't be issued in some circumstances

Have spoken to some ticket inspectors and they talk of being under huge pressure to issue penalty fares. They've even said they have targets per route and come the end of the month if they haven't reached an expected number they have to explain why. They also need to justify any action that that could have led to a penalty fare but didn't.

20 years ago an honest mistake was just that an honest mistake. I a number of times had ticket issues but a word with the inspector and it got sorted out. Nowadays the system is punitive everyone is treated as a criminal. Look at all the silly rules TOC's impose ie getting off a station stop early invalidates your ticket. The reason you get to appeal is that its much much easier for the TOC to say no at the other end of the phone or a letter than risk arguments and possible violence on the train.

Train travel in the UK is broken. As a number of people, politicians and newspapers have said train travel is becoming the preserve of the rich. I've a number of times driven to a destination solely because of the punative cost of a train ticket. I recently bought an advanced ticket to the seaside. On checking the cost of buying the same ticket on the day it had gone up nearly 300% YET the train as you'd expect at 05:30 was empty. The economics of this is just plain stupid but reality is that the TOC's will be able to whinge and whine about running at a loss while having their hands in the Tax payers pockets via the billions in subsidies they receive for transporting fresh air around the country.

yorkie2

Mr_Singleton wrote: »

... 20 years ago an honest mistake was just that an honest mistake. I a number of times had ticket issues but a word with the inspector and it got sorted out. Nowadays the system is punitive everyone is treated as a criminal. ....

If Train Companies treat you as a criminal, they prosecute you (though they may agree to an out of court settlement of a substantial sum) which, if convicted, results in a criminal record and a hefty fine.


A penalty fare is not how they treat criminals, but is how they treat honest customers who have made a mistake (under certain circumstances).