No ticket from Langley to Westdrayton

[mrbond009]

I am travelling from Slough to Paddington

I have a Oyster for 1 year for all Zones 1- 6

But I still have to buy a ticket from Slough to Westdrayton to get into London

As I have got only less money I got only ticket upto Langley.

The route is Slough --> Langley--> Westdrayton--> London paddington

Revenue Protection Inspector came for checking and he told that I dnt have a ticket from Langley to Westdrayton

He also asked me a set of questions and he warned I can get arrested If he want me to get.

He also asked me if I was traveklling everyday like this.
I told him I havent and I dnt have enough money to buy the ticket.

He also asked me standard questions like where I live and about todays journey and he made me signed the documents.
He told me I get a letter from FIrstGreatWestern stating about all todays story and I need to pay a fine and If not I will be taken to court

Any of u faced similar situation??

If so please help

I am in a panicking situation

 

[Ferret]

I am travelling from Slough to Paddington

I have a Oyster for 1 year for all Zones 1- 6

But I still have to buy a ticket from Slough to Westdrayton to get into London

As I have got only less money I got only ticket upto Langley.

The route is Slough --> Langley--> Westdrayton--> London paddington

Revenue Protection Inspector came for checking and he told that I dnt have a ticket from Langley to Westdrayton

He also asked me a set of questions and he warned I can get arrested If he want me to get.

He also asked me if I was traveklling everyday like this.
I told him I havent and I dnt have enough money to buy the ticket.

He also asked me standard questions like where I live and about todays journey and he made me signed the documents.
He told me I get a letter from FIrstGreatWestern stating about all todays story and I need to pay a fine and If not I will be taken to court

Any of u faced similar situation??

If so please help

I am in a panicking situation

Hello, welcome to the forum. From what I can gather, it seems you'll be getting a notice of intention to prosecute from Great Western here. By buying a ticket that didn't cover your whole journey, you've demonstrated intent to avoid the fare due. It sounds like you were interviewed under caution, and it also sounds like you've admitted the offence too.

Great Western have a choice here - they could prosecute you under Byelaw 18 - failed to produce a valid ticket when requested to do so, or they could prosecute under the Regulation of Railways Act, which covers intent to avoid your fare. This is a more serious offence, and carries the threat of a larger fine and a criminal record.

You'll have to wait for Great Western to get in touch to see what they intend to do about this. You could attempt to settle out of Court with them - you'd have to pay the fare due, and an administration fee to cover FGW's costs in dealing with the matter. Alternatively, you can go to Court with all the consequences that entails.

 

[mrbond009]

@ferret,

The only 4 questions RPI asked me is

Which station u boarded:
Slough

Where you are travelling to
Paddington

You got a ticket from slough to langley and then zone 6 to Zone 1. Is that right???
Yes

and one more general question

thats all... He never wrote any reason or cause of not buying a ticket.

He told me I get a letter for settlement But not stright a court notice. But he warned me to respond for it..

I am panicking a lot ...Im young IT proffesional and struggling to live...
If there is any court convictions or criminal procedings where I cant stand on

I would love to pay any fine ...
You have any idea what can happen ?? Or How long it takes for them to send me a letter???

 

[RJ]

Mrbond009,

You've put yourself in a dangerous situation by "dumbbelling." This is a very well known tactic that involves paying for tickets at either end of the journey, but not paying for all of the bit in the middle. Most commonly done by people who know there is very little chance of having an on board ticket inspection.

Train Operating Companies go out of their way to catch people doing this, sometimes even following suspects in plain clothes and gathering CCTV evidence etc. The result for the accused being a criminal record, hefty fine, costs and all of the fare due to the Train Operating Company.

In future, I suggest you do one of the following;

a.) Take the bus 81 from Slough to West Drayton, then take the train into Paddington, all valid on your Zone 1-6 Travelcard.
b.) Pay, willingly, for all of the journey you are making by rail.

For now, await the letter from First Great Western and see what they say. Most likely they'll initially offer you an opportunity to state your version of the events. I'd be very surprised indeed if they let you pay an out of court settlement - this embellishment of the truth is a tactic often used by ticket inspectors to stop passengers panicking there and then. That said, it's best to wait and see what they have to say.

 

[mrbond009]

THanks for the advice...

I just called the FGW Customer Services... What they are telling is Striaght away the company wont send any letters to attend a court...They always settle it with fine and it takes 2 weeks to get a letter...But this is the only time I have done it... I am really in a panicking situation

 

[Ferret]

THanks for the advice...

I just called the FGW Customer Services... What they are telling is Striaght away the company wont send any letters to attend a court...They always settle it with fine and it takes 2 weeks to get a letter...But this is the only time I have done it... I am really in a panicking situation

Point 1 - FGW or any other train company cannot issue 'fines'. Only a Court can do that. I'd be very surprised if they used this terminology.

Point 2 - I doubt they always settle before Court. Indeed, because you have presented them with such an easy Prosecution, they may not want to settle before Court in this instance.

 

[Monty]

No ticket from Langley to Westdrayton

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am travelling from Slough to Paddington

I have a Oyster for 1 year for all Zones 1- 6

But I still have to buy a ticket from Slough to Westdrayton to get into London

As I have got only less money I got only ticket upto Langley.

The route is Slough --> Langley--> Westdrayton--> London paddington

Revenue Protection Inspector came for checking and he told that I dnt have a ticket from Langley to Westdrayton

He also asked me a set of questions and he warned I can get arrested If he want me to get.

He also asked me if I was traveklling everyday like this.
I told him I havent and I dnt have enough money to buy the ticket.

He also asked me standard questions like where I live and about todays journey and he made me signed the documents.
He told me I get a letter from FIrstGreatWestern stating about all todays story and I need to pay a fine and If not I will be taken to court

Any of u faced similar situation??

If so please help

I am in a panicking situation

You may receive a notice from First Great Western stating their intention to prosecute, they have intent to avoid paying the full fare by your own admission (not having sufficient funds). You will have an opportunity to explain your actions when you receive this notice. I suggest you reply with a rather apologetic letter and offer to settle the matter out of court, for a first offence they may agree to settle. However I imagine you'll have to offer a substantial sum of money.

FGW are under no obligation though to keep the matter out of court, what they have is a pretty open and shut 5 (3)a prosecution, if found guilty of you will receive a criminal record. Unfortunately I can't offer much more help than that.

 

[mrbond009]

If they pull me to court... Is there any way I can settle with FGW??? I am thinking of writing them ...

If court fines then I pay the fees... Still its on my record???

Many thanksMonty...

I called FGW CS and they told initially the company tries to settle out the court...However they ask for settlement fee or Admin fee... If it is so Im happy to do that... But I am very panicking in some forums they are telling I have commited offence and FGW or any other train company can strightly send me to court??
Then OMG I dnt want that...

 

[Monty]

Point 1 - FGW or any other train company cannot issue 'fines'. Only a Court can do that. I'd be very surprised if they used this terminology.

Point 2 - I doubt they always settle before Court. Indeed, because you have presented them with such an easy Prosecution, they may not want to settle before Court in this instance.

Unfortunately Customer Services tend know very little about the proceedings of the prosecutions department, SWT are guilty of this too. Sounds like they've said what the OP wanted to hear because they don't know any better themselves. To the OP, ignore what you have been told by FGW Customer Services as it is not correct.

Other than what Ferret and RJ have posted here and what I have written in this thread I'm not sure it there is much more to be said.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

If they pull me to court... Is there any way I can settle with FGW??? I am thinking of writing them ...

If court fines then I pay the fees... Still its on my record???

If the courts find you guilty under Section 5 (3)a of the RotRA 1889, you will receive a record regardless if you pay the fine and any associated costs there and then.

If prosecuted under Byelaw 18 (which is a lesser charge) you will not recieve a record, however you will not know what offence they intend to prosecute you under until you recieve their notice of intention to prosecute. Until them I would advise you to say nothing.

 

[cuccir]

There really is nothing you can do until they write.: the best three things in the interim are:

1. Worry as little as possible!
2. If money is tight, start putting some aside every week to pay a fine/out of court settlement
3. Make sure you pay for future rail travel!

Hope that doesn't sound condescending, but really it's an action which is done and you can't undo.

 

[tony_mac]

As you have an annual season ticket, they may think that you have been doing this a lot, and may be investigating it.

Although it is probably unlikely, there have been prosecutions for fraud (a much more serious offence) for people who used season tickets regularly in a similar way (but I think that was for a much higher value ticket).
(http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=41600, http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=41600)


Also, be aware that anything you post on here could possibly be read by their prosecutions department, and you could probably be identified from the information you have given so far.

But, there probably isn't much you can do until they write to you.

 

[222007]

@ferret,

The only 4 questions RPI asked me is

It sometimes can take that few questions to be asked to gain evidence we require. Wait for the letter from First Great Western then people on this forum can best advice you. yorkie to name just one is very good on the advice front

 

[mrbond009]

Finally, GOt a letter for settlement. I have to pay around £100 . Thank god and thanks for everyone for the suggestions

 

[Ferret]

Finally, GOt a letter for settlement. I have to pay around £100 . Thank god and thanks for everyone for the suggestions

Well, I'm sure you can appreciate you've done quite well to avoid being relieved of a significantly larger sum of money here, and I hope you have learned your lesson.

Best wishes,

Ferret

 

[bb21]

Thanks for updating us with your case. I think £100 is a good result and wish you good luck in the future now that you have surely learned your lesson.

 

[mrbond009]

thanks a lot.. Also can some one delete this thread compeltely. I will be active memeber in this forum to advice people

 

[bb21]

Sorry, we don't delete threads for this reason as they can be useful for other people in similar situations.

They will automatically be locked after a period of time of inactivity and will sink down the list as a result.