Hannah Reed
New Member
- Joined
- 22 Jul 2018
- Messages
- 1
Hi All
I've recently received pictures of letters that have been sent to an old address regarding an incident last year.
I had purchased a family and friends railcard to travel from Barnstaple to Brighton to visit my brother for the weekend with my 2 year old daughter.
I'd discussed prices, routes, times etc many times with someone over the phone. At no point did they mention not being able to use the card I was about to purchase to travel to the following day.
I bought my card and then called back to book to the ticket. That guy couldn't actually book tickets so got transferred to someone else. Told him the story so far, again, no mention of not being able to travel the next day without the card being digital. The price was totally different so I called the first guy back, got the exact times and stations, Rand back to book the ticket. Got a different price again but even better so no complaints there. Was a difference of about £50 so I feel sorry for anyone wouldn't have known to do that. I wouldnt!
The next day, I picked up the tickets form the station, with no travel card. The lady in the ticket office didn't say anything.
Got asked to show my tickets on the way to Exeter at David's. I did. And then found out proof of purchase was not sufficient. Ticket collector suggest I get the app and get the eCard .I tried... You can't have both and I couldn't cancel my request to get the plastic one.
At Exeter was met by two guards. Very helpful and understanding. They exchanged my tickets for zero fare tickets so I could continue my journey and told me to wait for a letter and explain everything and it would all be fine. Not that I was going to get a big fine!!!
A letter came a while later, a settlement offer of £239.50. Apparently equal to the amount of the original fare. The original fare cost about £107from memory. Plus I had bought tickets and a rail card.
I sent an email to explain what had happened and a copy of my rail card. I later received an email saying it was the wrong department and I had to send a letter. Which I did. But wasn't received.
All the notifications following weren't forwarded until about a week ago. The fine had gone up to £639 and I was due in court on July 3rd.
I live in Australia! The email and letter that I sent clearly stated that I would be returning to Australia on the 28th of December. Of course...no one got the memo.
I've tried calling prosecutions a fewfew ti now but can never get through.
I believe I need to email them now.
Does anyone have any recommendations as to how to go about this? I don't have the money to pay the fine, or fly back to go to court. I couldn't afford to pay the full fare again after buying a card and tickets the day before. And I would have turned around and gone home and waited for the car to be fixed if the guard had told me this was coming instead of making out there was nothing to worry about!
Many thanks
I've recently received pictures of letters that have been sent to an old address regarding an incident last year.
I had purchased a family and friends railcard to travel from Barnstaple to Brighton to visit my brother for the weekend with my 2 year old daughter.
I'd discussed prices, routes, times etc many times with someone over the phone. At no point did they mention not being able to use the card I was about to purchase to travel to the following day.
I bought my card and then called back to book to the ticket. That guy couldn't actually book tickets so got transferred to someone else. Told him the story so far, again, no mention of not being able to travel the next day without the card being digital. The price was totally different so I called the first guy back, got the exact times and stations, Rand back to book the ticket. Got a different price again but even better so no complaints there. Was a difference of about £50 so I feel sorry for anyone wouldn't have known to do that. I wouldnt!
The next day, I picked up the tickets form the station, with no travel card. The lady in the ticket office didn't say anything.
Got asked to show my tickets on the way to Exeter at David's. I did. And then found out proof of purchase was not sufficient. Ticket collector suggest I get the app and get the eCard .I tried... You can't have both and I couldn't cancel my request to get the plastic one.
At Exeter was met by two guards. Very helpful and understanding. They exchanged my tickets for zero fare tickets so I could continue my journey and told me to wait for a letter and explain everything and it would all be fine. Not that I was going to get a big fine!!!
A letter came a while later, a settlement offer of £239.50. Apparently equal to the amount of the original fare. The original fare cost about £107from memory. Plus I had bought tickets and a rail card.
I sent an email to explain what had happened and a copy of my rail card. I later received an email saying it was the wrong department and I had to send a letter. Which I did. But wasn't received.
All the notifications following weren't forwarded until about a week ago. The fine had gone up to £639 and I was due in court on July 3rd.
I live in Australia! The email and letter that I sent clearly stated that I would be returning to Australia on the 28th of December. Of course...no one got the memo.
I've tried calling prosecutions a fewfew ti now but can never get through.
I believe I need to email them now.
Does anyone have any recommendations as to how to go about this? I don't have the money to pay the fine, or fly back to go to court. I couldn't afford to pay the full fare again after buying a card and tickets the day before. And I would have turned around and gone home and waited for the car to be fixed if the guard had told me this was coming instead of making out there was nothing to worry about!
Many thanks