My usual trip into work is from Bedminster station to Patchway station, neither of which has barriers or ticket machines. I therefore usually buy a return ticket from the conductor on board the train, or on occasion at Patchway when there's anyone there to check or sell tickets.
One Monday morning a few weeks ago, I travelled from Bedminster to Patchway, changing at Bristol Temple Meads. On neither train did a conductor come through and sell me a ticket. Therefore, when I arrived at Patchway and approached the ticket inspectors upon leaving the station, I expected them to sell me a return ticket.
Instead, I was asked for my ID and personal details and given the third degree by the ticket inspector. I naively went through all of this as politely as I could, assuming that he would eventually sell me a ticket as I'd asked him to, but was instead given a zero fare ticket for my return journey and told I'd receive a letter asking for the return fare and an admin fee. I queried why they weren't selling me a ticket, but clearly wasn't getting anywhere so took the ticket and left.
A few days later I received a pre-court settlement offer from GWR asking for the single fare (£4.40) plus an £80 fee to settle the matter. I replied via email (I tried phoning to discuss but they need an audit trail) to say that I wasn't able to buy a ticket before meeting the inspector, so don't see what I've done to warrant being taken to court.
They've now replied to say that it was my responsibility to find the conductor on either train to pay the fare, and that I also had the opportunity to pay at Temple Meads (but I'm not sure how as the ticket machines are outside the barriers).
My question is therefore, am I legally in the right here? What steps do I need to take to pay the fare, especially when the conductor doesn't come through? And is this worth disputing in the hope that GWR won't take it to court or, if they do, I'll be acquitted?
For what it's worth, I didn't intend to dodge the fare and would have bought a ticket if I'd been presented with the opportunity, and I do resent being treated like a fare dodger, especially since inspectors at Patchway have sold me tickets without any problems before - but then again that's hardly a legal viewpoint. It would be good to know where I stand.
One Monday morning a few weeks ago, I travelled from Bedminster to Patchway, changing at Bristol Temple Meads. On neither train did a conductor come through and sell me a ticket. Therefore, when I arrived at Patchway and approached the ticket inspectors upon leaving the station, I expected them to sell me a return ticket.
Instead, I was asked for my ID and personal details and given the third degree by the ticket inspector. I naively went through all of this as politely as I could, assuming that he would eventually sell me a ticket as I'd asked him to, but was instead given a zero fare ticket for my return journey and told I'd receive a letter asking for the return fare and an admin fee. I queried why they weren't selling me a ticket, but clearly wasn't getting anywhere so took the ticket and left.
A few days later I received a pre-court settlement offer from GWR asking for the single fare (£4.40) plus an £80 fee to settle the matter. I replied via email (I tried phoning to discuss but they need an audit trail) to say that I wasn't able to buy a ticket before meeting the inspector, so don't see what I've done to warrant being taken to court.
They've now replied to say that it was my responsibility to find the conductor on either train to pay the fare, and that I also had the opportunity to pay at Temple Meads (but I'm not sure how as the ticket machines are outside the barriers).
My question is therefore, am I legally in the right here? What steps do I need to take to pay the fare, especially when the conductor doesn't come through? And is this worth disputing in the hope that GWR won't take it to court or, if they do, I'll be acquitted?
For what it's worth, I didn't intend to dodge the fare and would have bought a ticket if I'd been presented with the opportunity, and I do resent being treated like a fare dodger, especially since inspectors at Patchway have sold me tickets without any problems before - but then again that's hardly a legal viewpoint. It would be good to know where I stand.