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Fare dodging mistake

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Gideon109

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Just hoping for some advice of an issue at Paddington this morning. I was travailing from bristol parkway to didcot parkway via Swindon, I then changed to the London train and fell asleep and didn’t buy a ticket. When I got off I then stupidly tried to buy a ticket from redding. I was asked where I came from and another man came out the ticket office and asked my name and address. I gave my details then asked what I need to pay and the employee said I don’t need to pay now and I will receive a letter in the post and that I should respond to it. No further details were given and I wasn’t given the option of paying a fine.
What is the letter that I will be receiving?
The fair was supposed to be £34 so I was dodging under £10. What can I expect the fine to be?

Thanks in advance
 
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gray1404

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It's a shame you didn't tell them the truth, show your existing tickets and advise of your intention to Didcot Parkway. There is every possibility the staff may have let you travel back on the next train.

By giving false information you demonstrated intent to avoid paying your fare. The next step is that you will receive a letter from the train company. This will usually ask for your side of the story. At this point you can reply, apologise for your behaviour and ask if they would be willing to accept an out of court settlement.

Only a Court can impose a fine. There is nothing more you can do at this point until you hear from the train company. The letter can take anything up to 6 months to arrive and when it does you need to respond promptly.

It's important that you check your post regularly and have someone reliable do this if you are away. I'd suggest posting back here once you hear back for assistance in drafting a reply.

The train company is under no duty to offer an out of court settlement but, assuming you have not been reported before or have any penalty fare history, there is a good chance they might. If they do then any settlement will need to be paid promptly so get saving.
 

mikeg

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Hi. Firstly as Bristol parkway has ticketing facilities you should have bought your ticket before boarding. You will be treated as having avoided payment for the full fare, as in law this is what you did. By offering a 'short fare' you have deliberately attempted to defraud the railway. This is the sort of thing that is always dealt with by prosecutions rather than penalty fares.
There maybe however a way of avoiding the fine by settling out of court. If this option is offered - and they don't have to offer it - it's usually about £100 plus the full fare. However if it goes to court expect around £100-300 depending on your income, plus costs and a victim surcharge, in addition to the fare avoided. Sit tight and wait for the letter, this will likely lay out the train company's intentions. There is little you can do until then
 

Haywain

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Just hoping for some advice of an issue at Paddington this morning. I was travailing from bristol parkway to didcot parkway via Swindon, I then changed to the London train and fell asleep and didn’t buy a ticket. When I got off I then stupidly tried to buy a ticket from redding. I was asked where I came from and another man came out the ticket office and asked my name and address. I gave my details then asked what I need to pay and the employee said I don’t need to pay now and I will receive a letter in the post and that I should respond to it. No further details were given and I wasn’t given the option of paying a fine.
What is the letter that I will be receiving?
The fair was supposed to be £34 so I was dodging under £10. What can I expect the fine to be?

Thanks in advance
Was it always your intention to travel to London or were you genuinely there by accident?
 

30907

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Was it always your intention to travel to London or were you genuinely there by accident?
They have said they were travelling to Didcot. I presume that was their destination, not the ticket split point.

I am puzzled why they could not buy on board on the longer section before Swindon.
 

island

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They have said they were travelling to Didcot. I presume that was their destination, not the ticket split point.

I am puzzled why they could not buy on board on the longer section before Swindon.
If it was a 10-coach class 800, the guard might have been in the other unit.
 

Haywain

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They have said they were travelling to Didcot. I presume that was their destination, not the ticket split point.
I read the first post, in full, and consider my question to be relevant to being able to give appropriate advice.
 

curly42

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I was travailing from bristol parkway to didcot parkway via Swindon, I then changed to the London train

I don't understand this - surely a train from Bristol Parkway to Didcot would be a London service.Why the need to change ?
If the journey started at Bristol,was a ticket held,and if so,where to ?
 

Mag_seven

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Firstly as Bristol parkway has ticketing facilities you should have bought your ticket before boarding.

It also has barriers so I'm not sure how the OP got onto the platform without a ticket of some description.

I don't understand this - surely a train from Bristol Parkway to Didcot would be a London service.Why the need to change ?

Not all services from Bristol Parkway to Paddington call at Didcot, hence the need (I assume) for the change at Swindon onto a service that did call at Didcot.
 

Brissle Girl

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I agree we need more clarity on what the intended journey was, where the OP changed, what ticket was held.

It sounds to me though as though there was a change at Swindon onto a train calling at Didcot, to enable a split ticket to work, but that only the first ticket had been purchased at Bristol Parkway (maybe because a TVM was used).
 

Puffing Devil

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I have to say that my spider senses are tingling with this query. Firstly the post title is "Fare dodging mistake", not "Fell asleep on train". Secondly, why ask to buy a ticket from Reading of all places if you fell asleep on the train? It makes no sense when the obvious thing to do would have been to explain the situation to the station staff on arrival. Thirdly, the OP again admits to "dodging" in the opening post.

There really is little to do now until the letter is received. If the OP continues with the explanation that they fell asleep on the train, this is at odds with the situation presented at the station and GWR will draw their own conclusions, which are unlikely to be favourable.
 

some bloke

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The fair was supposed to be £34 so I was dodging under £10.
A fare of around £34 would fit with Gideon109 already having a ticket to Didcot.

Gideon109, if at Paddington you immediately bought a ticket and travelled back to Didcot, and better if you have evidence of that, they might take a more lenient attitude towards your telling them the wrong station - on the basis that you didn't mean to travel to London in the first place.

What did you tell them had happened? Did you mention falling asleep? You might like to write down your memory of what they asked and what you said, in case it fades by the time you reply. If by any chance there are relevant circumstances that you think you may be able to remember better now than in some weeks' or months' time, you could write them down as well.
 
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