Northern Rail Court Summons

Bluenose88 wrote: »

Hi All, I've received a court summons for tomorrow!!! I had moved address and my old landlord has forwarded mail to me that I only received yesterday when I got home from work.


On 27/11 I took a local train to Liverpool Lime St, as the train was pulling in when I arrived at the station I boarded, I didn't see a guard on the train selling tickets. I don't travel this route often but you could at one point pay at Lime St and this was my intention. I approached the desk and asked for a ticket when a Revenue Protection Officer approached me and asked where I was coming from and why I didn't buy a ticket at that station. This resulted in me receiving a Penalty Fare of £20. I didn't pay this fare - on 18/11 I lost my father, his funeral was on 10/12 therefore I had a lot on, as well as travelling between Liverpool and Birmingham often as that is where I work.


I spent Xmas in Liverpool and over that period I received to reminders with increasing penalty to my address in Birmingham. I only picked these up in the new year and I wrote them a letter explaining the situation and asked for some leniency in light of the circumstances i.e. let me pay the £20 instead of £90. This was quite bluntly rejected.


I'm unsure what to do - They have included a final settlement offer but it says it needs to be paid at least 2 days before the court date, but I'm also annoyed at giving in when I did approach them to buy a ticket from a ticket desk and my appeal was rejected despite the circumstances. I do regularly use trains and keep the tickets/receipts for expenses and I have the trainline app full of spent tickets - I'm not fare dodger!


Any advice appreciated...


Thanks,