Fine for a train journey that was never made!

Gemz61

Yesterday, out of the blue, I received a letter from the Revenue Protection Support Services who act as a debt collecting agency for Southern Rail and other networks. They say I am responsible for the payment of £40, the amount owing, since the time to pay an 'unpaid fare notice' has expired.

"What unpaid fare" I asked my son? He didn't have a clue, as he now travels by car since passing his test 2and a half months ago, (the journey allegedly took place on the 24th Feb)

Someone (who knows my son's name and address), has obviously been caught without a ticket and given his details. Not bothered to pay the fine initially and now it has moved up a notch and the first thing we hear, is that we have to pay £40, within 21 days, for a journey my son never even took!

We don't even know the time of this alleged journey, so that we can try to prove my son was not on the train!
We have emailed 'comments@southern railway' with the details, hoping they may have cctv at the alighting point given on the letter. But time is ticking and there seems to be no way of appealing the Penalty Fare Notice without the facts and before the fine has to be paid!

To the cynical among you, my son is open and truthful and would have fessed up to getting a fine, in the unlikely event that he had used a train and that he had not paid for a ticket (not that I am condoning this action!) As I mentioned, he drives everywhere!

Any helpful suggestions would be appreciated.

esuhl

Strange. If I were in your position, I'd get your son to write back (recorded delivery, of course) denying being involved and asking for any further information they may have that could identify the culprit so that it can be contested, or for the matter to be dropped. You could remind them that any harassment or vexatious claims against your son may result in your taking legal action against them.

But you really want to be 100% your son really wasn't involved...

Bollotom

Don't wind them up and then find out your son was at fault or they won't be too kind. You asked for CCTV, also ask if there was such on the actual train. Plus you might want CCTV from originating station. It does pong a bit, nomatter who was at fault, so your son needs to find out from his mates if they are the culprit.

NBLondon

Surely - if Southern have your son's name and address - the first notice would have come to your son (who must be over 16 if he is driving). The second notice is coming to you - saying you are responsible? I suppose a dodgy debt collector may be trying to connect you since you share an address.


Can your son demonstrate he was somewhere else on the 24th - or produce witnesses who can swear he was driving that day and would not have taken any train? Then as esuhl says - a formal response for your son denying it was him. How about challenging the inspector to describe the person who was evading - if they say tall, skinny and ginger and your son is none of those - you have a good case.


Has he got any dodgy mates who may have given his details when challenged?

daveyjp

Railuk has a forum for this type of query and posters who know the regs inside out.

Stigy

If your son has done nothing wrong, he has nothing to worry about. Unless both your son and the person impersonating him are of average appearance in every way, this alone should put this one to bed. There will be a description of the person involved on the company's copy of the notice and if filled out properly, should help matters.

I suggest he writes to them and offer to supply a photo of himself for them to compare. I very much doubt CCTV will be an option as this is usually only kept on a hard drive for 30-days at stations and 5-days on trains, give or take.

If they really don't believe your son is innocent in this matter and go to the Magistrates' Court with it eventually, he should obviously plead not guilty and supply the court with whatever evidence he can to clear himself. It's ultimately up to the company to prove your son was guilty of an offence, and if push comes to shove, I doubt Southern will progress with this.