Hi All,
I have unfortunately messed up myself with SWT and need help and apologies for long post.
At the outset I acknowledge that I have done a blunder knowingly or unknowingly (as that does not matter) and now am paying for that.
Below are my details.
Since June 2017 and till June 2018 I was travelling from station A (Zone5) to station B (Zone4) via Clapham Junction using Paper monthly travel card it was having written “monthly travel card from A to B”. It was always a hassle to renew this paper travel card as I had to wait in queue at station. One of my friend advised that I can put my same monthly card on my oyster and can then renew it online without need to wait at station and in addition to that I will also get a free bus ride as oyster card is valid for buses everywhere if it has a travel card loaded.
I took this advice literally (which I now regret deeply) and without checking much went to ticket window and asked them to load travel card on my oyster. Officer mentioned that I need to do it at self-servicing machine. I followed as suggested and bought monthly travel card loaded on oyster between Zone 5 and Zone 4 by literally taking reference from my paper travel card. While buying I found monthly oyster travel card was £14 cheaper than my paper based travel card. I just thought why so and I got reason in my head may be companies want to promote oyster (paperless) and that can be the reason.
So from next travel I started using my oyster monthly travel card in the same way as I was using paper travel card as in my mind it was exactly like paper travel card. Also as I was using paper travel card to open station barriers only and was not using it were there were no barriers. I kept doing same i.e. always touched in at source station A (it had barriers) and never touched out at destination station B (it had no barriers) and vice versa on return as I was doing with paper travel card. I travelled like this almost daily from A (Zone5) to B (Zone4) via Clapham Junction for 4-5 months.
During this 4-5 month period I was multiple times asked to show my ticket at below stations but was not alerted or told there is something wrong with my travel card
Last week on XX/11/2018 when I came from station A (Zone5 and touched in as routine) I was changing platform in morning at Clapham Junction and my ticket was checked by SWT staff and I was told all good. Then in evening on the same date, when I was coming back from station B (Zone 4 and not touched in/out as routine) I was again stopped at Clapham Junction platform bridge. This time I was told that my ticket is not valid in Zone 3. I was surprised and thought there is some confusion with the staff, as till now my ticket was always valid and I am carrying the same ticket.
Then I realized that I was speaking to RPI and he advised me that my ticket is not valid in Zone 3 and I am travelling with invalid ticket. I was still not able to make out what is happening and he then interviewed under caution. I was bit upset but answered his all questions with honesty and calmly. He asked me was I going to pay my due fare if I was not checked, I said no as I was of impression my ticket is correct and valid. I told him how my tickets were checked multiple times and I had no clue I am using wrong ticket. He said he will mention that in the interview which he did. Multiple times RPI asked me if I want to leave I can and need not to answer his questions, but I said no I will answer all your questions and then only go. He finished interview and then I asked can he kindly let me know what is correct ticket for me and he mentioned I should get a travel card for zones 2, 3, 4, 5. I also asked him next steps and he mentioned TOC will write to me.
After I finished my interview I started googling and that is when my world shattered and I realized in what mess I have landed. The more I read the more worried I got. As I mentioned I am wrong as I should have not treated oyster travel card 100% same as that of paper travel card and should have done my homework before using it. I am in London from last 5-6 years and have very rarely used oyster card but with PAYG credit. This was first time in my life I have loaded monthly travel card on it. Got same wrong on day 1 and landed in this trouble. I then immediately after reaching home bought the correct travel card for zone 2, 3, 4, 5 as was mentioned by RPI and also made sure it is correct by going through information (which unfortunately I have not done earlier). I also realized the correct monthly cost of correct card is £30 more.
I honestly was never intending to save money by getting wrong card but am not sure how to prove it. Now am worried what will happen and who will believe me. I still am struggling to understand how nobody in checking staff detected that I was using wrong travel card during this 4-5 months period when it was multiple times checked.
Will appreciate your help and advice on this. I have not yet heard back from TOC but soon I will be getting a letter. I want to do anything to settle this out of court as criminal record will be devastating for my job and my normal life.
Thanks
I have unfortunately messed up myself with SWT and need help and apologies for long post.
At the outset I acknowledge that I have done a blunder knowingly or unknowingly (as that does not matter) and now am paying for that.
Below are my details.
Since June 2017 and till June 2018 I was travelling from station A (Zone5) to station B (Zone4) via Clapham Junction using Paper monthly travel card it was having written “monthly travel card from A to B”. It was always a hassle to renew this paper travel card as I had to wait in queue at station. One of my friend advised that I can put my same monthly card on my oyster and can then renew it online without need to wait at station and in addition to that I will also get a free bus ride as oyster card is valid for buses everywhere if it has a travel card loaded.
I took this advice literally (which I now regret deeply) and without checking much went to ticket window and asked them to load travel card on my oyster. Officer mentioned that I need to do it at self-servicing machine. I followed as suggested and bought monthly travel card loaded on oyster between Zone 5 and Zone 4 by literally taking reference from my paper travel card. While buying I found monthly oyster travel card was £14 cheaper than my paper based travel card. I just thought why so and I got reason in my head may be companies want to promote oyster (paperless) and that can be the reason.
So from next travel I started using my oyster monthly travel card in the same way as I was using paper travel card as in my mind it was exactly like paper travel card. Also as I was using paper travel card to open station barriers only and was not using it were there were no barriers. I kept doing same i.e. always touched in at source station A (it had barriers) and never touched out at destination station B (it had no barriers) and vice versa on return as I was doing with paper travel card. I travelled like this almost daily from A (Zone5) to B (Zone4) via Clapham Junction for 4-5 months.
During this 4-5 month period I was multiple times asked to show my ticket at below stations but was not alerted or told there is something wrong with my travel card
- Clapham Junction (in morning and in evenings at platform bridge. Can remember latest date when I was told it is good in evening)
- At station B in mornings (even during checks I did not touch out as it was not at all in my mind because for me it was like paper travel card)
- During my train journey from Clapham Junction to Station B and vice versa
Last week on XX/11/2018 when I came from station A (Zone5 and touched in as routine) I was changing platform in morning at Clapham Junction and my ticket was checked by SWT staff and I was told all good. Then in evening on the same date, when I was coming back from station B (Zone 4 and not touched in/out as routine) I was again stopped at Clapham Junction platform bridge. This time I was told that my ticket is not valid in Zone 3. I was surprised and thought there is some confusion with the staff, as till now my ticket was always valid and I am carrying the same ticket.
Then I realized that I was speaking to RPI and he advised me that my ticket is not valid in Zone 3 and I am travelling with invalid ticket. I was still not able to make out what is happening and he then interviewed under caution. I was bit upset but answered his all questions with honesty and calmly. He asked me was I going to pay my due fare if I was not checked, I said no as I was of impression my ticket is correct and valid. I told him how my tickets were checked multiple times and I had no clue I am using wrong ticket. He said he will mention that in the interview which he did. Multiple times RPI asked me if I want to leave I can and need not to answer his questions, but I said no I will answer all your questions and then only go. He finished interview and then I asked can he kindly let me know what is correct ticket for me and he mentioned I should get a travel card for zones 2, 3, 4, 5. I also asked him next steps and he mentioned TOC will write to me.
After I finished my interview I started googling and that is when my world shattered and I realized in what mess I have landed. The more I read the more worried I got. As I mentioned I am wrong as I should have not treated oyster travel card 100% same as that of paper travel card and should have done my homework before using it. I am in London from last 5-6 years and have very rarely used oyster card but with PAYG credit. This was first time in my life I have loaded monthly travel card on it. Got same wrong on day 1 and landed in this trouble. I then immediately after reaching home bought the correct travel card for zone 2, 3, 4, 5 as was mentioned by RPI and also made sure it is correct by going through information (which unfortunately I have not done earlier). I also realized the correct monthly cost of correct card is £30 more.
I honestly was never intending to save money by getting wrong card but am not sure how to prove it. Now am worried what will happen and who will believe me. I still am struggling to understand how nobody in checking staff detected that I was using wrong travel card during this 4-5 months period when it was multiple times checked.
Will appreciate your help and advice on this. I have not yet heard back from TOC but soon I will be getting a letter. I want to do anything to settle this out of court as criminal record will be devastating for my job and my normal life.
Thanks