Dear Sir / Madam,
I write in response to your letter of [insert date] regarding a journey on [insert date].
I understand that one should always buy a ticket that covers one's entire journey before boarding a train. It was not my intention to avoid payment of the fare for my journey, and indeed, at the point I boarded the train at Haywards Heath I only intended to travel as far as Wivelsfield, which was the destination of my ticket (see first attachment).
However, after I had boarded the train, I received a text message from my friend (see second attachment), where he/she [delete as appropriate] suggested we meet at Burgess Hill. I did not want to have to get off the train at Wivelsfield to pay the additional fare to Burgess Hill, as this would have taken too long to get back on the same train, and would therefore have entailed waiting half an hour for the next train. I intended to pay the additional fare onboard the train, or alternatively at the ticket office upon arrival at Burgess Hill.
At the point I boarded the train I did hold a valid ticket, and I showed it when I was asked for my ticket by the member of staff onboard the train. I am therefore not guilty of an offence under Byelaw 18 of the Railway Byelaws 2005. Equally, at no point did I intend to avoid payment of the fare (as shown by the timing of the text message), so I am not guilty of an offence under Section 5(3) of the Regulation of Railways Act 1889.
I would, of course, like to pay the remaining fare as soon as possible, and I therefore enclose a cheque to the value of the Anytime Day Single from Wivelsfield to Burgess Hill, £1.90. I hope that you are able to accept this in settlement of the matter at hand.
Thank you in advance.
Yours faithfully,
[OFFWHITE]
Encs: photograph of ticket held, screenshot of text message, cheque for £1.90