Penalty Fare London Overground

maisy1607

I was travelling on the overground today when some ticket inspectors got on to check everyones tickets, my oyster card was validated and then they asked for my young person's railcard. I searched through my bag and this is when I realised that my purse (containing my railcard) was missing. I had the purse when I was on the previous train for the first part of my journey. I informed the inspector that I had lost my purse and he said that he would still have to issue a penalty fare. I even offered to show him a confirmation email about my young person's railcard but he refused. He then asked me to pay the £40 up front and I had to remind him that I had lost my purse so had no way of making a payment. He then asked if I could even pay £5 as if the message was not getting through to him. I have contacted the lost property department for great northern trains to see if they can track down my purse.

I have appealed against the fine and I was wondering whether anyone in the community thinks that I have a case as I had validated my oyster and there was a genuine reason for me not having the railcard. What would you predict that IRCAS will decide? As a student I could really do without losing £40 for the fine, plus the £30 cash I had in my purse plus however much it costs to replace the other items that were in there.

It's ironic that my oyster has been checked by inspectors so many times and they never asked to see my railcard, and the one time they do I have managed to lose it. I also don't think it's made clear that you can't use your oyster card if you have lost your railcard so hopefully that counts as a warning to others. I will have to buy a new oyster while I wait for my replacement railcard.

nomoneytoday

Did you report your purse stolen with the police, to give you proof if they take it further?

Whilst it's proof of a case being opened, and not proof of a loss, it would go someway to validate your story IMHO

Lokolo_2

To put it simply, without having the railcard to produce at the time of inspection your Ticket (validated Oyster card) is not valid and therefore you are treated as having no ticket. The fact that you lost your purse with the Railcard in is unfortunate but irrelevant in this case.

I would put it down to experience and just pay the fine, much cheaper than if you fight it and they end up taking you to court for breaking a Railway Byelaw as you cannot dispute the fact that you didn't have a valid ticket on inspection.