Fine at Stansted Express trying to pay with Oyster

[djrichard74]

I did appeal because my Penalty Fare Notice was wrong, below is my appeal but it was rejected, please help with suggestion, should I continue with this ground?

I was not aware that I could not use an Oyster card to go to Stansted Airport, this is the FIRST time in my life using the service without my parents, I am 19 years old and still in education. I have travelled to Heathrow and Gatwick before and I have assumed it was same to LONDON Stansted (which is clearly advertised as LONDON). I have touched in at Vauxhall, touched out at Tottenham Hale, then touched in again to catch the train to Stansted. I arrived at London Stansted Airport and was told by the ticket officer that I didn't have a valid ticket to travel. He then proceeded to issue me a fine with incorrect owning amount of £2,560, instead of £24.60 (please find picture attached), ticket officer rectified the amount by pen. So I assume this cancel the fine?!? The amount is incorrect. I can see that the amount was rectified on your website, but I was not issued the right fine when I was there. Please accept my appeal, I am happy to go to ombudsman service if this is not going to be the case

Thank you for your suggestions.

 

[stu]

Provided you can pay the penalty fare on the website of £24.60+£50 (or £100 if you've gone past 21 days), then I would and move on with your life. At the end of the day, you didn't have a ticket so let it be a relatively cheap lesson to you.

Ignorance of the law is no defence, as they say, and typing Stansted Express Oyster into Google shows that you cannot use Oyster for this journey on the first search result.

 

[Haywain]

typing Stansted Express Oyster into Google shows that you cannot use Oyster for this journey on the first search result.

There is also a great deal of signage to this effect at Tottenham Hale station that is very difficult to miss.

 

[methecooldude]

My question would be why touch out at Tottenham Hale, just to touch back in?

 

[CyrusWuff]

My question would be why touch out at Tottenham Hale, just to touch back in?

Tottenham Hale has separate gatelines for the Underground and National Rail platforms. There isn't a "paid side" interchange between the two.

 

[methecooldude]

Tottenham Hale has separate gatelines for the Underground and National Rail platforms. There isn't a "paid side" interchange between the two.

That makes a lot more sense, never used the station so didn't know. Cheers Cyrus

 

[transportphoto]

There are three appeal stages - you could exhaust these if you wish for the technicality of the incorrect notice. You’d need to back your appeal with any statute as relevant.

 

[LAX54]

There is also a great deal of signage to this effect at Tottenham Hale station that is very difficult to miss.

Think auto on train announcements too ?

 

[furlong]

5(2) Where a collector charges a penalty fare to a person under paragraph (1), the collector must provide that person with the following information in writing at the time the penalty fare is charged—
...
(f) the amount of the penalty fare;
...

The amount of the penalty fare should have been

(a) £100 plus the price of the full single fare applicable

So that's £100 + £24.60 = £124.60

The notice does not say "£124.60" on it - it was issued for £2560 - so it was not issued in accordance with the regulations.
Consequently make a standard appeal under regulation 17 based on ground 16(3)(a) which means the appeal should be upheld under 17(4).

£24.60 will remain payable but without the £100 (or £50) on top.

 

[djrichard74]

The amount of the penalty fare should have been


So that's £100 + £24.60 = £124.60

The notice does not say "£124.60" on it - it was issued for £2560 - so it was not issued in accordance with the regulations.
Consequently make a standard appeal under regulation 17 based on ground 16(3)(a) which means the appeal should be upheld under 17(4).

£24.60 will remain payable but without the £100 (or £50) on top.

I have sent a 2nd appeal without looking at this, if my second appeal(below) will be rejected then I will add the regulation in for the 3rd appeal, thank you.
Attached is the 1st rejected appeal.

Appeal submitted 14 Apr 2025 15:46:37
After receiving your appeal reply I can understand that contactless payment cards are only valid for travelling within a permitted area.

My ground is that the officer proceeded to issue me a fine with incorrect owning amount of £2,460, instead of £24.60 (please find picture attached), ticket officer rectified the amount by pen, he should have issued another ticket with the right amount on it and not rectify with a pen and adjust that on the system. I was not issued the right fine when I was there.

Think auto on train announcements too ?

I see, this is for my son, at nineteen, they are all walking with headphones and looking at their phone, not paying attention to the surrounding. But the fault here is to both, my son and the officer issuing a wrong ticket

Provided you can pay the penalty fare on the website of £24.60+£50 (or £100 if you've gone past 21 days), then I would and move on with your life. At the end of the day, you didn't have a ticket so let it be a relatively cheap lesson to you.

Ignorance of the law is no defence, as they say, and typing Stansted Express Oyster into Google shows that you cannot use Oyster for this journey on the first search result.

I see, it is the only airport that does not accept Oyster in London, and for a nineteen years old can be confusing, travelled only an handfull of times alone. Plus it should not be called LONDON Stansted airport if it is not in London(Oyster)?!?

There are three appeal stages - you could exhaust these if you wish for the technicality of the incorrect notice. You’d need to back your appeal with any statute as relevant.

Thank you

 

[Haywain]

Plus it should not be called LONDON Stansted airport if it is not in London(Oyster)?!?

Take that up with the airport then. The railway doesn't use 'London' for any of the airports (discounting London City onbtge DLR).

 

[stu]

I see, it is the only airport that does not accept Oyster in London, and for a nineteen years old can be confusing, travelled only an handfull of times alone. Plus it should not be called LONDON Stansted airport if it is not in London(Oyster)?!?

Let's face it, only two airports actually are in London but there are plenty more that use London in their name. I was able to travel at 19 and buy the correct tickets, and that was 21 years ago (and was still distracted by headphones, music and phones then!) - the information available now before you travel to research your ticket is even better!

Perhaps you'll get somewhere with your appeal, TBH I think morally arguing over the amount on the ticket when it was corrected at the time, even if it was by pen, is perhaps stretching the boundaries. Maybe it's a good life lesson for your son to cough up the £74.60.

 

[djrichard74]

Let's face it, only two airports actually are in London but there are plenty more that use London in their name. I was able to travel at 19 and buy the correct tickets, and that was 21 years ago (and was still distracted by headphones, music and phones then!) - the information available now before you travel to research your ticket is even better!

Perhaps you'll get somewhere with your appeal, TBH I think morally arguing over the amount on the ticket when it was corrected at the time, even if it was by pen, is perhaps stretching the boundaries. Maybe it's a good life lesson for your son to cough up the £74.60.

He has already learned his lesson, he never skipped rail payment, he was genuinly thinking he was paying with the Oyster, £50 might be more useful to him than the Railway.

You can go to Luton/Heathrow/City/Gatwick with Oyster is just confusing having only Stansted out of the Oyster

 

[Edvid]

You can go to Luton/Heathrow/City/Gatwick with Oyster is just confusing having only Stansted out of the Oyster

You can't travel to Luton Airport with Oyster PAYG, but you can use contactless PAYG (which is also an option for Heathrow, City and Gatwick).

Contactless PAYG is currently scheduled for an extension to Stansted later this year as well.

 

[wibble]

He has already learned his lesson, he never skipped rail payment, he was genuinly thinking he was paying with the Oyster, £50 might be more useful to him than the Railway.

You can go to Luton/Heathrow/City/Gatwick with Oyster is just confusing having only Stansted out of the Oyster

Actually, you can't use Oyster to Luton (but you can use contactless) and you can't use Oyster or contactless to London Southend and London Oxford airports.

 

[djrichard74]

You can't travel to Luton Airport with Oyster PAYG, but you can use contactless PAYG (which is also an option for Heathrow, City and Gatwick).

Contactless PAYG is currently scheduled for an extension to Stansted later this year as well.

Yes, apologies, I meant contactless PAYG

Actually, you can't use Oyster to Luton (but you can use contactless) and you can't use Oyster or contactless to London Southend and London Oxford airports.

Yes, apologies, I meant contactless PAYG

 

[transportphoto]

For point of reference, this post (https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/stansted-airport-short-ticket-caution.265314/#post-6706799) from April 2024 shows an example of how obvious Greater Anglia try to make it at Tottenham Hale. The photo linked shows an example ticket barrier with lots of branding to the effect that Oyster and Contactless cannot be used to Stansted.

 

[AlterEgo]

I see, it is the only airport that does not accept Oyster in London, and for a nineteen years old can be confusing, travelled only an handfull of times alone. Plus it should not be called LONDON Stansted airport if it is not in London(Oyster)?!?

Whether or not a place is in London or not doesn’t make Oyster or contactless valid. The only airports in London are Heathrow and City (and Biggin Hill, but if you’re flying from there you can afford your own chauffeur!). Gatwick is some distance outside London, by Crawley in West Sussex.

Oyster is also not valid to London Luton or London Southend airports.

This notwithstanding I think your son has a valid appeal as @furlong notes and I’d go with their advice. Hopefully it succeeds!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

A side query. Having touched back in at Tottenham Hale on 29MAR2025, will the OP have additionally been charged anything by Oyster for that as well? Incomplete journey, possibly?

 

[MikeWh]

A side query. Having touched back in at Tottenham Hale on 29MAR2025, will the OP have additionally been charged anything by Oyster for that as well? Incomplete journey, possibly?

Yes, almost certainly. Contact the TfL helpdesk and request a refund. They may ask to see proof of the penalty fare.

 

[Hadders]

This sort of thing is unfortunate and issuing a Penalty fare is an appropriate remedy. There is copious signage at Tottenham Hale and I'd normally advise paying this to prevent the matter from escalating. Think of it like getting a parking ticket - expensive, a bit embarrassing but best to chalk it up to experience.

That said, there does appear to be a technical reason as to why the Penalty Fare is not valid as described by @furlong A properly worded 3rd stage appeal should see it cancelled (although we cannot guarantee that the appeals panel won't go 'rogue'). It is extremely important that the appeal letter contains the correct wording so I suggest popping a draft of your 3rd appeal letter in this thread so that forum members can proof read it for you.

 

[furlong]

I have sent a 2nd appeal without looking at this, if my second appeal(below) will be rejected then I will add the regulation in for the 3rd appeal, thank you.

Note that the final appeal would be under regulation 18 not 17.

My ground is that the officer proceeded to issue me a fine with incorrect owning amount of £2,460, instead of £24.60 (please find picture attached), ticket officer rectified the amount by pen, he should have issued another ticket with the right amount on it and not rectify with a pen and adjust that on the system. I was not issued the right fine when I was there.

He did not correct the amount the notice was issued for, which was the figure that matters in terms of the regulations. The right amount was not the £24.60 you state but £124.60 - your error in trying to explain this here too yourself only serves to show the importance of being able to rely on what was given to you in writing!

Further, somewhat amazingly the mass of warning notices at Tottenham Hale still do not comply with the regulations (at least they still didn't last time I was there recently), so you can also add that as another ground. We have an old thread about that:

Stansted Airport fines

Went through today. Certainly is another huge poster on the right hand side above the ramp with a few different languages. It's all over the gates too. I wish the OP well with the appeal but I would be very surprised for GA to overturn it given how clear the signage is. Thanks - a few people...

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