Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
UK travel

Welcome to our UK travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

Original poster

Fined for No ticket

63 replies

user1497787065 · 04/06/2023 11:19

I will start this by saying we live in the south west and the majority of stations we use have no ticket machines and some are request stops so we wave our arm for the train to stop. I know from a recent thread some of you didn't think these existed but they do.

So, this morning my DD and a friend landed at Stansted and got on a train to I think Liverpool Street and when asked for their tickets said they needed to buy them. They were then fined for boarding without a ticket and the journey including fine cost them £71. Is this usual? Should they have had a ticket before boarding? Obviously not the case where we live and they both had the means to purchase a ticket so were not trying to avoid paying. Any hope of a refund if she disputes it?

Any help or opinion appreciated.

OP posts:
Motnight · 04/06/2023 13:51

Your DD and her friend should just pay it. I can't see any grounds for disputing it.

StrugglingWeight · 04/06/2023 13:54

Come on, they knew what they were doing

Of course you need a ticket to board a train. Occasionally there are stops that don't have ticketsmachines or they are broken, in which case it would be permissable to board the train without but still best to buy online.

Presumably your DD is tech savvy and could quite easily buy online, she's presumably late teens at a minimum. There is not a single late teen in Britain capable of flying abroad who doesn't know you need to buy a ticket before boarding a train

Oblomov23 · 04/06/2023 13:57

Not a chance, me thinks.

SarahAndQuack · 04/06/2023 13:58

I think your DD is spinning you a line TBH. She knew. She just hoped she could fare-dodge, and now she's hoping mum will take pity and reimburse her for her fine.

Original poster
user1497787065 · 04/06/2023 13:58

It was paid at the time the ticket was purchased. There was no intention to avoid paying.

OP posts:
Bearpawk · 04/06/2023 13:59

Does the Trainline app cover trains in your area op?

Paq · 04/06/2023 14:01

Sorry OP you won't get anywhere with an appeal. If there were ticket machines at the station you absolutely have to buy one before you board. All other details like the barriers being open are moot.

I also live in rural SW and I know the rules.

ilovesooty · 04/06/2023 14:02

DamnAndDashIt · 04/06/2023 13:24

On what basis are you going to dispute it- I mean, what are you actually going to say?

Why are you involved in disputing it anyway?

What grounds does your daughter even have to dispute it?

mynameiscalypso · 04/06/2023 14:02

user1497787065 · 04/06/2023 13:58

It was paid at the time the ticket was purchased. There was no intention to avoid paying.

It doesn't matter. It's clear from what a PP posted (and all the signs up at the airport), that it's an offence to board the train without a ticket

peachypudding · 04/06/2023 14:03

I think she was trying to wing it too. Sorry OP!

Original poster
user1497787065 · 04/06/2023 14:04

Absolutely not!

OP posts:
CornishGem1975 · 04/06/2023 14:04

About 10 years ago it was absolutely fine to buy tickets on the train but not now seemingly. If you can't get them at the station for whatever reason you can buy them easily enough on your phone, I guess that's the difference now.

Original poster
user1497787065 · 04/06/2023 14:05

I have now remembered why I deactivated my account previously. My question is genuine. Some of your responses may indicate how others of you operate but my DD and I do not.

OP posts:
ilovesooty · 04/06/2023 14:08

user1497787065 · 04/06/2023 14:05

I have now remembered why I deactivated my account previously. My question is genuine. Some of your responses may indicate how others of you operate but my DD and I do not.

You haven't said what possible grounds there are to dispute it or why you're involved in appealing your daughter's failure to comply with the requirement to buy a ticket prior to travel.

Whenwillglorioussummercome · 04/06/2023 14:09

Online tickets are very easy to buy. I haven’t used a ticket machine in a long time. It’s something worth trying out, OP, as once you’ve done it the first time you’ll have no trouble. Train company apps and/or the Trainline one.

NowZeusHasLainWithLeda · 04/06/2023 14:11

user1497787065 · 04/06/2023 14:05

I have now remembered why I deactivated my account previously. My question is genuine. Some of your responses may indicate how others of you operate but my DD and I do not.

In fairness, you're the one who has led most posters to the conclusion that your daughter was trying it on.

DemonicCaveMaggot · 04/06/2023 14:11

I am sort of in the South West and I have seen trains going through Westbury where the announcer has said passengers need to let the guard/conductor know if they want the train to stop at one of the smaller stations.

I have also seen conductors sell tickets to passengers on the train.

It doesn't really help your DD. She could throw herself on the mercy of the train company, but they probably won't care, having got the money. If the station had a ticket machine then they aren't going to give up the fine.

CremeEggThief · 04/06/2023 14:12

Tough luck for them. They ran the risk, they got caught. Them's the breaks as they say!

Thingsthatgo · 04/06/2023 14:13

Did they seek out the conductor to buy a ticket? Down our way the rule is to go and find the conductor as soon as you board, if you are unable to buy a ticket at the station.

DemonicCaveMaggot · 04/06/2023 14:13

As WhenWillGloriousSummerCome posted, sign up with Trainline and with GWR. You can get special offers through GWR and trainline is good for booking seats and seeing all the available trains.

Hbh17 · 04/06/2023 14:13

As previously said, this is your daughter's problem, so not sure why you are involved.
I am an oldie, and I travel a lot by train and have been buying tickets exclusively online for the past 10 to 15 years - it's not a new thing.
Your daughter will have had multiple chances to buy a ticket at Stansted OR on her phone.
Hopefully, this has been a good learning experience for her and she'll now realise that it would be best just to drop the whole issue.

CremeEggThief · 04/06/2023 14:21

OMG, just saw about disputing the fine!😬🤣

No chance, OP.

friendlycat · 04/06/2023 14:26

Sorry but it’s just the way it is. There are zero grounds for dispute. It’s one of London’s international airports. There are literally signs everywhere and a bank of ticket machines and manned ticket booths.

You also cannot pay on arrival at destination station and haven’t been able to for many many years. It’s simply to avoid fare evasion. Think you just have to accept this.

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 04/06/2023 14:28

We've got a small train station in our town and up until 1st May, you could buy tickets on the train. They changed this, massive yellow signs everywhere, and I just didn't realise! I've used the station for years and never had to pre-buy a ticket so didn't know it had changed. I just didn't pay any attention to the signs. Ticket inspector was going to fine us but let us off if we bought open travel tickets and she'd be back in 2 mins to check.
We got off really lucky but I can easily see how it happens.

I don't think you can appeal. Ignorance can only be used if you can fully back it up (ie no visible, obvious signs, no banners on websites etc).

Cheeseandlobster · 04/06/2023 14:41

user1497787065 · 04/06/2023 14:05

I have now remembered why I deactivated my account previously. My question is genuine. Some of your responses may indicate how others of you operate but my DD and I do not.

Ah you are one of those 'sun shines out of my dd's backside' parents. Your dd had ample opportunity to pay. There would have been signs everywhere too. She chose to ignore them and got caught. Lesson learnt. You have absolutely no grounds to dispute this at all.