Hello all, First time poster and would really appreciate some help on this matter.
I commute to work between shipley and Leeds every weekday and travel using a monthly Metro pass.
My platform is always manned in the morning and so i have to produce my pass to gain access.
On 18th May this year i got to the barrrier to scan through and could not find my pass for the life of me. I knew i had it on me as i sued it to get through my departure station so i went back to the now empty train only to find nothing.
I then approached the sales barrier to buy a ticket to exit the station with no idea what was about to hit me.
A young man took me away from the ticket area and gave me a rather blunt telling off about travelling without a pass and that he wasn't going to fine me on this occassion but if i did it again i would be. I explained what i've done is not against the law as i got on a train with the pass which has since gone missing.
He asked if i could produce proof i own a pass to which i stated not at present. He then advised i needed to accept and sign notice of payment accepting liability. I refused to sign to which he then stated i could not leave the station and he'd need to notify transport police.
After argueing for 5 minuutes longer it was agreed that if i sign the sheet and then bring in proof the following day he would get it reversed. Stupidly i signed in good faith.
Later thatt night my wife was scrolling through face book and found somebody as selling my pass. the codes on the picture matched up with my receipt. I took a screenshot of this (still have it) knowing the person would delete the post. to cut a long story short (as exciting as it was) I got my pass back.
The next day I went back to speak to the same gent in oorder to get my notice overturned. The gent was not working so i explained the matter to one of his colleagues and he went away and made a call. He came back and advised its all sorted and I'll get confirmation in writing.
To my surprise... whilst watchig england Vs wales at euros a nasty letter drops from my post requesting fare plus £80 fine!! I was furious and called Northern Rail as the contact us page on Arriva diverts to there. they logged my complaint and assured me i was not in the wrong and the complaint would be sent to the station where i will be contacted back. she kept me on the line whilst she for some reason mailled the complaint????. after this call i researched IRCAS whom i could see i needed to make payment to and found you can log an appeal online, however, the system states my FTP reference is not a valid reference for arriva or northern rail so this failed.
I had not heard anything for 3.5 months and now the summons letter has dropped though my post offering settlement for fare plus £100 costs.
I rang northern rail who could not locate my complaint but suggested i visit the station to find out what happened with the complaint. I visited the station yesterday and was told they would not entertain the complaint if received as the people that issue the notices are STM security who are sub contracted. I was given their number and told to contact them and make a complaint as they are the only ones who can sort.
I had a look at the witness statement in my summons from the person that issued the notice and he states he's employed by arriva yet his ID reference starts with STM. Misleading???
Anyhow I decided to call the number on my summons form for arriva revenue prosecution which i never got an answer, only an automated line to request a callback so i settled for this.
I just got my callback today expecting to have a polite conversation and sort this misunderstanding and straight away the ladie sounded really bullish before i even explained what happened. she said there is no dispute, you signed a legally bind notice stating you travelled without a ticket and you failed to pay the fair. she also stated nobody has rights to travel without paying. I then asked if she'd listened to anything i said and that i have the original pass plus proof of purchase plus facebook screen shot. I stated I boarded the train in good faith with a pass which was then either stolen or lost and that due to service failures from their staff im now being victimised. she jusst dismissed everything i said and stated i'd need to go through court.
I have never been to caught and have no idea how the system works and what my rights are. I can afford to pay the fine but to be honest my pride won't allow me to.
Any advise would be much apprciated
Sorry for bombarding you with my life story!
I commute to work between shipley and Leeds every weekday and travel using a monthly Metro pass.
My platform is always manned in the morning and so i have to produce my pass to gain access.
On 18th May this year i got to the barrrier to scan through and could not find my pass for the life of me. I knew i had it on me as i sued it to get through my departure station so i went back to the now empty train only to find nothing.
I then approached the sales barrier to buy a ticket to exit the station with no idea what was about to hit me.
A young man took me away from the ticket area and gave me a rather blunt telling off about travelling without a pass and that he wasn't going to fine me on this occassion but if i did it again i would be. I explained what i've done is not against the law as i got on a train with the pass which has since gone missing.
He asked if i could produce proof i own a pass to which i stated not at present. He then advised i needed to accept and sign notice of payment accepting liability. I refused to sign to which he then stated i could not leave the station and he'd need to notify transport police.
After argueing for 5 minuutes longer it was agreed that if i sign the sheet and then bring in proof the following day he would get it reversed. Stupidly i signed in good faith.
Later thatt night my wife was scrolling through face book and found somebody as selling my pass. the codes on the picture matched up with my receipt. I took a screenshot of this (still have it) knowing the person would delete the post. to cut a long story short (as exciting as it was) I got my pass back.
The next day I went back to speak to the same gent in oorder to get my notice overturned. The gent was not working so i explained the matter to one of his colleagues and he went away and made a call. He came back and advised its all sorted and I'll get confirmation in writing.
To my surprise... whilst watchig england Vs wales at euros a nasty letter drops from my post requesting fare plus £80 fine!! I was furious and called Northern Rail as the contact us page on Arriva diverts to there. they logged my complaint and assured me i was not in the wrong and the complaint would be sent to the station where i will be contacted back. she kept me on the line whilst she for some reason mailled the complaint????. after this call i researched IRCAS whom i could see i needed to make payment to and found you can log an appeal online, however, the system states my FTP reference is not a valid reference for arriva or northern rail so this failed.
I had not heard anything for 3.5 months and now the summons letter has dropped though my post offering settlement for fare plus £100 costs.
I rang northern rail who could not locate my complaint but suggested i visit the station to find out what happened with the complaint. I visited the station yesterday and was told they would not entertain the complaint if received as the people that issue the notices are STM security who are sub contracted. I was given their number and told to contact them and make a complaint as they are the only ones who can sort.
I had a look at the witness statement in my summons from the person that issued the notice and he states he's employed by arriva yet his ID reference starts with STM. Misleading???
Anyhow I decided to call the number on my summons form for arriva revenue prosecution which i never got an answer, only an automated line to request a callback so i settled for this.
I just got my callback today expecting to have a polite conversation and sort this misunderstanding and straight away the ladie sounded really bullish before i even explained what happened. she said there is no dispute, you signed a legally bind notice stating you travelled without a ticket and you failed to pay the fair. she also stated nobody has rights to travel without paying. I then asked if she'd listened to anything i said and that i have the original pass plus proof of purchase plus facebook screen shot. I stated I boarded the train in good faith with a pass which was then either stolen or lost and that due to service failures from their staff im now being victimised. she jusst dismissed everything i said and stated i'd need to go through court.
I have never been to caught and have no idea how the system works and what my rights are. I can afford to pay the fine but to be honest my pride won't allow me to.
Any advise would be much apprciated
Sorry for bombarding you with my life story!