What a bad start to a Monday morning! Late again so legged on the platform instead of buying a ticket, had money to purchase ticket on the train, like I have done many time before no problem. This morning however I was issued with a fine, now the stupid bit. I gave a false name and address (don’t know why, just panicked) they checked it and found out it was false so I was cautioned and interviewed. That doesn’t bother me too much just could kick myself for being so stupid instead of £20 fine I could receive a lot higher. Sooooo fed up!

I’m sure everyone on here will be very understanding…

Brilliant! Sounds like something Mark off The Peep Show would do

its people like you that give my good country a bad name!

kids face next time!

think of the children!

trail erosion!

dog eggs in trees!

what tyres for the train?

riding on a footpath?!

FACT.

</thread closed>!

knitted commuting suit!

*insert random picture of building*

Go shoplift some Tesco’s wafer thin ham to cheer yourself up.

Why wouldn’t they let you buy a ticket on the train?
I thought they were legally obliged to do so.

had money to purchase ticket on the train, like I have done many time before no problem

If this is accepted practice, why did they fine you ?
If it isn’t accepted practice, why have you done it many times ?

(Hang ’em all, I say)

Think you are purposed to purchase ticket before traveling, apparently there are signs all over the platform. But it is so inconsistent, there shouldn’t be a facilities to buy tickets on the train if this is the case.

oh my.

its accepted practice on our line that you can buy on the train as there aer no ticket sales facilities at a number of the stations at any time, and others at off-peak times.

If they pulled a stunt like that on our train there’d be a self-righteous huff loud enough to hear and eyebrow raising would go up to defcon 1.

You use a train, you must be so poor not to have a car.

LOL.

It was your train line Stoner 🙁

hereford-paddington line?

which station did you get on at?

London midland, Worcester – Malvern.

ahhh. pikeytrainco and they like to catch rush hour/schoolkid fare dogers on those short journeys. Unlucky. Does that mean your name will get put up on one of those posters in the ticket office listing hardened criminals those that got caught? 😉

The early FGW trains to London arent a problem – no ticket office or paybox at Pershore, or honeybourne and Malvern Link isnt open early enough.

Stoner lives near Hereford?

do I look like a hobbit to you?

I dunno 🙂

nunuboogie – Member
Think you are purposed to purchase ticket before traveling, apparently there are signs all over the platform. But it is so inconsistent, there shouldn’t be a facilities to buy tickets on the train if this is the case.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/purchasing_tickets/penalty_fares.html

But I don’t understand why you were required to give your name and address? You just pay the penalty fare and get on with life (I’ve never done this so not sure)? Also were you told it was a fine? Because as I understand these are contractual charges not fines (like private car park penalties) – in which case claiming it is a fine probably is illegal.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23731140-fare-dodgers.do

However fare dodging is I believe illegal. As you presented it you were not fare dodging.

What name did you give ?

Just made one up but should have been more clever and said something like Tracey Tracks?

“I am a student of the LAW!”

They do it in Reading just before the festival.

So the platforms are overwhelmed with people queing for tickets.

The trains are packed.

Then as you didn’t leave an hour extra for the 10 minute journey to get a ticket you get fined £20 whereas normaly its fine to get one on the train or from a guard.

IIRC the ‘ticket inspector’ can’t give a penalty fare, an ‘official fare collector’ can, but they have to wear high vis jackets and show you ID then provide an invoice for you.

The stupid thing is, Reading has ticket barriers, so short of jumping the barriers right infront of BTP you can’t dodge the fare, it’s purely a money making excercise.

When you say you were cautioned & interviewed, was this by the police?

Oh the whole thing about “fines” for not having a ticket really gets on my nerves. Fair enough if you hide in the toilets or buy a ticket to the next station and stay on the train for 100 miles, but for your average punter who is running late and offers to pay, it’s just stupid.

I’m almost always running late for the train. The few times the ticket inspector raises an eybrow when I try to buy on board, I use the excuse of either the ticket machine wouldn’t accept my tenner, or the Chip and PIN machine wouldn’t read my card.

Seems to me it’s just another reason to NOT use public transport. it’s as if there’s a quango somewhere whose sole responsibility is to make public transport as unfriendly and as difficult as possible.

</rant>

No police involved just a train inspector, I pleaded with her to let me buy a ticket she flatly refused.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/purchasing_tickets/penalty_fares.html

But I don’t understand why you were required to give your name and address? You just pay the penalty fare and get on with life (I’ve never done this so not sure)? Also were you told it was a fine? Because as I understand these are contractual charges not fines (like private car park penalties) – in which case claiming it is a fine probably is illegal.

What a load of crap on that link. Private companies issuing “penalties”, quoting private car parks as justification. 😆

She was a lesbian.

I blame Thatcher!

Gutted, just found out the train 10mins later does not issued penalty fines! Will never be traveling on London Midland again.

I blame George Stephenson.

10 ways to avoid penalty fares…
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23731140-fare-dodgers.do

6 Give your correct name, address and journey details.

Once you have paid the single fare, the collector will then ask for your name and address so that they can send a demand for the rest to be paid within 21 days. They can check names and addresses while you wait with the electoral roll database. The only criminal offence in the whole penalty fares legislation is refusing to give a name and address, or giving a false one. So give the right details.

Fail

If you are gonna give a false name and address be sure to make sure they exist.

Failing to appear on the electoral roll doesn’t prove anything; there are plenty of people who are quite legitimately not on the UK electoral roll.

for your average punter who is running late and offers to pay, it’s just stupid

Well, yeah, but when confronted by an inspector everyone claims they’re an average punter who’s running late and would be only too willing to pay!

The only criminal offence in the whole penalty fares legislation is refusing to give a name and address, or giving a false one. So give the right details.

You’ve had it mate. 🙂

Posted 2 hours ago # Report-Postnunuboogie – Member
Gutted, just found out the train 10mins later does not issued penalty fines! Will never be traveling on London Midland again.

Posted 2 hours ago # Report-Post

London Midland seem to have serious problems with staff refusing to work at wekends and sometimes any time that suits them

on what basis could the ticket officer give you a caution i.e. a criminal conviction?

Because I gave them and false name and address, I now see the error of my ways.