Penalty fare dispute

[Tiger Pragnell]

Hi there I would like to share my story on Tuesday January 30th 2018 I travelled to work via Southern railway from Bexhill-on-Sea to hampden Park (Sussex) I arrived at Bexhill Station Tuesday morning as normal and purchased a day return with my rail card , then went through the barriers and made my way to the platform, on Monday the 29th January 2018 I travelled to Hastings so of course on Tuesday I had Mondays tickets and Tuesdays tickets in my hands when I arrived at the platform Tuesday morning and by mistake I threw Tuesdays tickets in the bin and unknowingly travelled to hampden Park with Mondays tickets, when alighting at hampden Park I was challenged by a revenue officer who asked to see my tickets I produced some tickets but when he inspected them he discovered the date on the ticket was Monday I couldn't believe it, I thumbled in my coat pockets thinking they must be there, then I realised the tickets I threw away in error at Bexhill were Tuesdays tickets I felt embarrassed and this revenue guy took my details I told him it was a genuine mistake 3 months later southern prosecution department wrote a letter asking me to explain what happened in the box provided on the letter I did so and sent the letter back they wrote again saying we would gladly settle it out of court at a cost of £60.20 I phoned up and made a card payment they then sent me a receipt via post accepting the payment and saying we consider the matter closed, but yesterday I had a letter relating to the same incident demanding me in court next week otherwise I could be arrested, I'm a disabled traveller I'm always honest and buy correct tickets and I made a silly mistake that I didn't realise until too late I have apologised to Southern and payed an fixed sum of money agreed with them, they say the matter is closed then I'm still wanted in court

 

[30907]

Sounds like a cockup.
If you have the receipt letter, or other evidence of having made the out of court settlement, you should be able to resolve this fairly quickly by contacting whoever sent the letter.

 

[najaB]

I phoned up and made a card payment they then sent me a receipt via post accepting the payment and saying we consider the matter closed...

Do you still have this correspondence?

 

[Hadders]

I’d contact The court as well as there’s a danger it could be heard in your absence.

It also probably worth attending court on the day to make sure it has been withdrawn. You shouldn’t have to but it will save possible problems further down the line.

It clearly appears to be an error.

 

[Tiger Pragnell]

Do you still have this correspondence?

Yes still got receipt letter

 

[Tiger Pragnell]

The courts reckon its possibly an error and told me to contact southern rail prosecution department to check whether I need to attend court still

 

[najaB]

Yes still got receipt letter

Make copies of both the summons and the receipt and get them both to Southern's prosecution team ASAP.

 

[Hadders]

I would still attend court on the day just to be certain no case is heard.

What Southern day and what they do are often two different things.