Buying partial ticket

[Blao2020]

Hi everyone, I hope you all are doing well. Sorry to bother all of you but want to seek for advice.
Few days ago, I forgot to buy the train ticket and when I was aware it was almost approaching to my destination. Therefore, I just bought the train ticket online immediately from where I was at that moment, not the full journey train ticket. Unfortunately, I was stopped by the inspector and was questioned. I was told that I will receive the letter later and explain the whole incident. I also showed the inspector I have ever purchased the full journey train ticket from my home and he took photo. I am so anxious what will happen next. Can anyone has the similar experience can share? Thank you very much.

 

[mikeg]

I'm guessing English isn't your first language and this may be a strange experience for you. No worries, we're here to help. As the inspector said, you will receive a letter which will usually be a noitce of intent to prosecute. In this letter you will be given the chance to put your side of the story to the train company. I would recommend apologising, sticking to the facts and offering to reimburse them for the full fare due, together with the costs of investigating this. Keep it brief and to the point. For the time being there's not much you can do. It may help to know which stations were involved, which company you travelled with and which company reported you?

Each company has their own approach. As you have broken the Regulation of Railways Act 1889, and possibly the railway byelaws, they have every right to prosecute. However your goal should be to convince them it's in their interest not to prosecute. I'd also recommend you start saving some money up to pay any such settlement.

 

[Blao2020]

Thank you so much for your prompt reply. I was taking Greater Anglia and destination is London Liverpool Street station, thank a lot !

 

[mikeg]

What was your origin station? This can be as important as the destination, especially if there were no ticketing facilities and they (unlikely) get things wrong and go for a byelaws prosecution.

 

[Blao2020]

There is no ticketing barrier at my original point of travel. But I just forgot to buy the ticket and was aware when I was on the train. So, I bought the ticket online. This is not the train company fault and I should buy the full fare ticket rather than just buy the ticket at the station where I was at that time.

 

[Brissle Girl]

Can you tell us the station you boarded, and also the station you bought your ticket from? And how did you just forget to buy a ticket?

Out of interest, did you purchase the ticket when you saw a ticket inspector approaching? If not, what made the inspector suspect that you had not bought the ticket in a proper fashion.

I ask this because I'm not yet convinced that you simply forgot to buy a ticket, and that you actually joined the train knowingly and thought you could quickly buy a ticket when approached. Why is this important? Well, the best way to try and get the best settlement is to convince the authorities that you have been truthful in your explanation and that your remorse is genuine, and if they don't believe you, they will quite likely take a harder line. I'm not convinced by your story yet, so they may well not be either.

 

[Blao2020]

Because when I am going out of the ticket barrier in London Liverpool Street and need the staff to open the barrier for me and was questioned by the staff why I have not collected the ticket from my origin station. I was not purchasing ticket online when i saw the inspector on the trainer becasue there is no one checking the ticket on the train. I know I should buy the full journey ticket rather than the partial one and willing to pay the fine but I just worried if that will be considered as criminal offence. Ponder end is my origins station where there is not ticket barrier. Thank you everyone comment.

 

[mikeg]

You have committed a criminal offence, Ponders End has ticket machines, the presence of barriers is irrelevant. You must buy your ticket at the first available opportunity.

By purchasing a fare that didn't cover your entire journey you have also made matters worse. If you simply had forgotten you in all likelihood would have simply been charged a penalty fare, however that ship has sailed and what is done is done. Try not to worry about it too much but save money for any settlement or fine.

 

[WesternLancer]

Hi everyone, I hope you all are doing well. Sorry to bother all of you but want to seek for advice.
Few days ago, I forgot to buy the train ticket and when I was aware it was almost approaching to my destination. Therefore, I just bought the train ticket online immediately from where I was at that moment, not the full journey train ticket. Unfortunately, I was stopped by the inspector and was questioned. I was told that I will receive the letter later and explain the whole incident. I also showed the inspector I have ever purchased the full journey train ticket from my home and he took photo. I am so anxious what will happen next. Can anyone has the similar experience can share? Thank you very much.

If you bought a ticket part way on your journey why did you not at least try to buy it from the starting point of the journey you took (Ponders End) not a point on the route when you remembered that you had not got a ticket? It's not a long journey after all.