Good Afternoon
So this morning the situation that at some point I was expecting finally happened.
My journey was as follows;
0712 Rainford to Kirkby
0728 Kirkby to Liverpool Central
0755 Liverpool Central to West Kirby (changing via the down escalator between platforms)
On arrival at Rainford Station and wishing to pay cash, obtained a promise to pay from the ticket machine. I did not see a guard on the short hop Rainford to Kirkby.
There was no time at Kirkby to exit the station to buy a ticket as the Merseyrail connection is very tight (but a valid connection).
On arrival at Liverpool Central I took the escalator from Northern to Wirral Lines and encountered a revenue block at the bottom of the escalator. When asked to show my ticket, I offered the promise to pay voucher and had cash in hand also ready to buy a ticket.
I got asked to go over to see his colleague where I answered where I had travelled from and why I hadn't purchased a ticket. I explained the process that I had undertaken and the inspector told me that promise to pay was a "Northern thing" and was not valid on the Merseyrail network. He stated that if I have been unable to buy a ticked on departure I should purchase one at Kirkby. I politely queried that I should not have to delay my journey at Kirkby to continue travel and that part of the journey is valid as it is an advertised connection. He reiterated that I should have to buy a ticket as soon as I arrive on the Merseyrail network and that he would be within his rights to issue me with a penalty fare notice. I politely stated again that I was not evading the fare and would happily buy a ticket from him now or delay my journey to buy one at Liverpool Central if he so wished. He stated that they did not have the ability to issue me a ticket there from a non merseyrail station. We talked about the NRCOT and that a passenger does not have to delay their journey .. I even said that I could obtain a promise to pay at Rainford for any station within the UK Rail Network but again he reiterated that they do not apply on Merseyrail.
After all this conversation he told me that my train was just arriving and to continue my journey.
I would also like to add that the Revenue Inspector was courteous, listened to what I was saying and never once accused my of being a fare dodger .. his primary concern was that promise to pay are not valid on the Merseyrail Network.
I am now in a quandary ... do I continue to do this and risk a Penalty Fare? .. as I am pretty sure that I was fortunate today and that next time there would be some recourse ...
So this morning the situation that at some point I was expecting finally happened.
My journey was as follows;
0712 Rainford to Kirkby
0728 Kirkby to Liverpool Central
0755 Liverpool Central to West Kirby (changing via the down escalator between platforms)
On arrival at Rainford Station and wishing to pay cash, obtained a promise to pay from the ticket machine. I did not see a guard on the short hop Rainford to Kirkby.
There was no time at Kirkby to exit the station to buy a ticket as the Merseyrail connection is very tight (but a valid connection).
On arrival at Liverpool Central I took the escalator from Northern to Wirral Lines and encountered a revenue block at the bottom of the escalator. When asked to show my ticket, I offered the promise to pay voucher and had cash in hand also ready to buy a ticket.
I got asked to go over to see his colleague where I answered where I had travelled from and why I hadn't purchased a ticket. I explained the process that I had undertaken and the inspector told me that promise to pay was a "Northern thing" and was not valid on the Merseyrail network. He stated that if I have been unable to buy a ticked on departure I should purchase one at Kirkby. I politely queried that I should not have to delay my journey at Kirkby to continue travel and that part of the journey is valid as it is an advertised connection. He reiterated that I should have to buy a ticket as soon as I arrive on the Merseyrail network and that he would be within his rights to issue me with a penalty fare notice. I politely stated again that I was not evading the fare and would happily buy a ticket from him now or delay my journey to buy one at Liverpool Central if he so wished. He stated that they did not have the ability to issue me a ticket there from a non merseyrail station. We talked about the NRCOT and that a passenger does not have to delay their journey .. I even said that I could obtain a promise to pay at Rainford for any station within the UK Rail Network but again he reiterated that they do not apply on Merseyrail.
After all this conversation he told me that my train was just arriving and to continue my journey.
I would also like to add that the Revenue Inspector was courteous, listened to what I was saying and never once accused my of being a fare dodger .. his primary concern was that promise to pay are not valid on the Merseyrail Network.
I am now in a quandary ... do I continue to do this and risk a Penalty Fare? .. as I am pretty sure that I was fortunate today and that next time there would be some recourse ...