Hello,
I'm very new to travelling by train and I hope someone can help me with below incident.
Last week, I bought online a return ticket for £28 London St Pancras - Corby on East Midlands trains
When I came to the station to collect the pre-paid tickets, I was in such a hurry to catch the train that I only collected the tickets, I didn't collect the reservation (I thought it was the invoice and I don't need it, I also couldn't understand why you need a reservation to go with the ticket???).
On the onward journey London-Corby, I explained to the ticket controller that I didn't have a reservation. She said she would come back to me, which she didn't. So everything was okay.
On the return journey, the ticket controller insisted that my ticket is not valid and I had to buy the new single ticket for £44 or get off at the next station. I told him that he would get off at the next station, which I didn't. I just thought why I had to get off if I actually got a ticket.
The ticket controller caught me and he was very angry. He issued an Unpaid Fare Notice for £60, specifying reason "no ticket". I was so shocked that I had to pay £60, so when he asked me to sign the UFN, I was a bit hesitated. He then grabbed the paper and he signed it himself under his name at the box "Customer's Signature".
- When I came home, I checked the online booking and I realised that it was an ADVANCE SINGLE TICKET, "valids on EastMidlands Train only". To be honest, I had no idea what an advance single ticket means. I don't travel by train much and this was my first time travelling with East Midlands. I thought with an Advance ticket, I can take any train as long as it is an East Midlands train, not other providers. So in fact, the train I was on was 18.00 train, not a 17.00 train as I was booked.
- On the Unpaid Fare Notice, my first name is not correct, the surname and the address is correct, the date and month of birth is correct, but the year is not correct.
My questions are
1. Should I appeal not to pay this UFN. Especially when I didn't sign it myself so I didn't agree with it. It was the ticket controller who signed. Could he actually do that? Why do I have to pay £60 while the full amount for a single ticket is £40?
If I should appeal, how should I form an argument when sending out the letter to the IRCAS.
2. Should I pay the UFN first and appeal to re-claim it later?
3. In case I have not paid the UFN and my appeal is not successful, do I still have the chance to pay the amount the requested - £60 or it is going to be higher or are they going to prosecute me?
I'm so scared as I work in a sector where they request a clear criminal record
Thank you very much for all your advice. I really appreciate it!
I'm very new to travelling by train and I hope someone can help me with below incident.
Last week, I bought online a return ticket for £28 London St Pancras - Corby on East Midlands trains
When I came to the station to collect the pre-paid tickets, I was in such a hurry to catch the train that I only collected the tickets, I didn't collect the reservation (I thought it was the invoice and I don't need it, I also couldn't understand why you need a reservation to go with the ticket???).
On the onward journey London-Corby, I explained to the ticket controller that I didn't have a reservation. She said she would come back to me, which she didn't. So everything was okay.
On the return journey, the ticket controller insisted that my ticket is not valid and I had to buy the new single ticket for £44 or get off at the next station. I told him that he would get off at the next station, which I didn't. I just thought why I had to get off if I actually got a ticket.
The ticket controller caught me and he was very angry. He issued an Unpaid Fare Notice for £60, specifying reason "no ticket". I was so shocked that I had to pay £60, so when he asked me to sign the UFN, I was a bit hesitated. He then grabbed the paper and he signed it himself under his name at the box "Customer's Signature".
- When I came home, I checked the online booking and I realised that it was an ADVANCE SINGLE TICKET, "valids on EastMidlands Train only". To be honest, I had no idea what an advance single ticket means. I don't travel by train much and this was my first time travelling with East Midlands. I thought with an Advance ticket, I can take any train as long as it is an East Midlands train, not other providers. So in fact, the train I was on was 18.00 train, not a 17.00 train as I was booked.
- On the Unpaid Fare Notice, my first name is not correct, the surname and the address is correct, the date and month of birth is correct, but the year is not correct.
My questions are
1. Should I appeal not to pay this UFN. Especially when I didn't sign it myself so I didn't agree with it. It was the ticket controller who signed. Could he actually do that? Why do I have to pay £60 while the full amount for a single ticket is £40?
If I should appeal, how should I form an argument when sending out the letter to the IRCAS.
2. Should I pay the UFN first and appeal to re-claim it later?
3. In case I have not paid the UFN and my appeal is not successful, do I still have the chance to pay the amount the requested - £60 or it is going to be higher or are they going to prosecute me?
I'm so scared as I work in a sector where they request a clear criminal record
Thank you very much for all your advice. I really appreciate it!