UNPAID FARE NOTICE (despite being told to board the train by ticket office staff)

[BeanHash]

Hi everyone!

I was in Kings Cross St Pancras today, waiting to get a train back to Nottingham on the EMR. But all the platforms (for EMR) were closed/blocked up with an orange plastic barrier. I went to the ticket office and they confirmed: all EMR trains are cancelled for now. I said, "How do you recommend I get home?" and "Could I get this train here?" (*Showing them a phone screen with the 17:33 LNER service, and they said "Yes, you'll be fine to get that one, as the EMR's are cancelled!"

I got on the LNER, got half way there, and then the ticket officer asked for the ticket. I showed it to him. He said "That's the wrong ticket". I explained. But he said "You'll have to buy a ticket for this service". I said "But I was literally just told to get this service. I wuldn't be able to get back from London to Nottingham otherwise, as EMR is all cancelled". He said "I'm sorry, but you'll have to buy a ticket for this service". I said: "I can't - I can't afford to. And I've already bought a £70+ ticket". He said "Okay, well you'll have to take it up with LNER, and gave me an UNPAID FARE NOTICE with a price of £92.80.

I've sent an appeal. Everything I've recounted is the truth.

What is the procedure for this?

It feels so unjust to be asked to pay this.

 

[sonic2009]

Please could you post or mention which ticket you already purchased?

 

[AlterEgo]

There was no scheduled service today from St Pancras owing to engineering works.

No trains between Bedford / Luton and London St Pancras International on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 April | EMR

www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk

The alternatives are detailed there. There was no ticket acceptance with LNER.

What was the exact ticket purchased? Did you have reservations in any service today?

 

[BeanHash]

Hi! Yes, it was an EMR journey from St Pancras to Nottingham. I didn't have reservations, but purchased a general ticket approx. one week ago. It said, at the time of booking, there was a service. But (I think - perhaps I'm wrong) the important part is that I directly followed the advice of the person in the ticket office and got on the LNER. Clearly I can't prove that, but it feels awful to incur a £90+ fine for something I was advised to do.

 

[reb0118]

It's not a fine per se. Rather an invoice for the fare due. Can you show us exactly what ticket you held including price - upload a photo if possible. We can then advise fully.

 

[AlterEgo]

Hi! Yes, it was an EMR journey from St Pancras to Nottingham. I didn't have reservations, but purchased a general ticket approx. one week ago. It said, at the time of booking, there was a service.

A week ago? These engineering works have been in place for months. I’m not discounting what you say, but where did you see trains were available only a week ago?

But (I think - perhaps I'm wrong) the important part is that I directly followed the advice of the person in the ticket office and got on the LNER. Clearly I can't prove that, but it feels awful to incur a £90+ fine for something I was advised to do.

It would be helpful to see your ticket and we could let you know if it had any validity at all regardless on LNER. There’s no such thing as a “general ticket”, they almost all have some restriction of some sort.

 

[island]

We need to see your ticket as well as the booking confirmation which would have shown the itinerary to use it on.

 

[Dai Corner]

I think the person in the ticket office took your question as one about journey planning rather than about ticket validity. How were they to know what ticket, if any, you held?

 

[Haywain]

As others have said, without seeing the ticket you held it is impossible to comment on whether the issue of an Unpaid Fare Notice was appropriate.

 

[30907]

As others have said, without seeing the ticket you held it is impossible to comment on whether the issue of an Unpaid Fare Notice was appropriate.

Indeed. The walk-up fares STP-NOT are (ignoring discounted 1st fares which are well above the OP's price) Any Permitted, so if the ticket was in date and unused this is puzzling.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I've already bought a £70+ ticket".

@BeanHash. Welcome to the forum. What ticket did you actually have? Ticket type/name? Ticket price paid? Ticket date/date valid until? Any railcard discount applied? This information seems key to establishing how best you might possibly take things forward.

 

[MotCO]

If the original ticket was not valid, presumably it was 'unused' and therefore is it possible to claim a refund on it?

 

[Haywain]

If the original ticket was not valid, presumably it was 'unused' and therefore is it possible to claim a refund on it?

Until we know the ticket details we can't say.

 

[Gloster]

Hi everyone!

I was in Kings Cross St Pancras today, waiting to get a train back to Nottingham on the EMR. But all the platforms (for EMR) were closed/blocked up with an orange plastic barrier. I went to the ticket office and they confirmed: all EMR trains are cancelled for now. I said, "How do you recommend I get home?" and "Could I get this train here?" (*Showing them a phone screen with the 17:33 LNER service, and they said "Yes, you'll be fine to get that one, as the EMR's are cancelled!"

I got on the LNER, got half way there, and then the ticket officer asked for the ticket. I showed it to him. He said "That's the wrong ticket". I explained. But he said "You'll have to buy a ticket for this service". I said "But I was literally just told to get this service. I wuldn't be able to get back from London to Nottingham otherwise, as EMR is all cancelled". He said "I'm sorry, but you'll have to buy a ticket for this service". I said: "I can't - I can't afford to. And I've already bought a £70+ ticket". He said "Okay, well you'll have to take it up with LNER, and gave me an UNPAID FARE NOTICE with a price of £92.80.

I've sent an appeal. Everything I've recounted is the truth.

What is the procedure for this?

It feels so unjust to be asked to pay this.

When you spoke to the ticket office, did you tell them what ticket you held or did you merely hold up the ‘phone with the display showing that there was a 17.33 LNER train? They may have believed that you were merely asking whether it was possible to get to your destination by using that train.

 

[AlterEgo]

When you spoke to the ticket office, did you tell them what ticket you held or did you merely hold up the ‘phone with the display showing that there was a 17.33 LNER train? They may have believed that you were merely asking whether it was possible to get to your destination by using that train.

Indeed it seems a little strange they would give this advice - especially as alternative travel was available on the booked route as outlined in the link in post 3.

 

[Trainman40083]

Yes the route to be taken is Thameslink to Hitchin, rail replacement bus to Luton then EMR towards Nottingham. There would be no LNER validity unless you had a ticket that said "London Stations" on it, rather than St Pancras.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Yes the route to be taken is Thameslink to Hitchin, rail replacement bus to Luton then EMR towards Nottingham. There would be no LNER validity unless you had a ticket that said "London Stations" on it, rather than St Pancras.

The OP hasn't yet come back, since this morning, to advise/clarify on this. A return ticket, *if* from Nottingham to London, would be issued to 'London Terminals' and would be route "Any Permitted".

 

[enyoueffsea]

The OP hasn't yet come back, since this morning, to advise/clarify on this. A return ticket, *if* from Nottingham to London, would be issued to 'London Terminals' and would be route "Any Permitted".

Possible it was 2 advance singles as that is the cheapest method of a return from Nottingham to St Pancras a week or so in advance. They’re only valid on EMR.

"How do you recommend I get home?" and "Could I get this train here?" (*Showing them a phone screen with the 17:33 LNER service, and they said "Yes, you'll be fine to get that one, as the EMR's are cancelled!"

To be honest, if you asked those questions I don’t think you have a valid complaint. You didn’t mention your ticket and just asked two general questions of whether the route would get you home.

In any event, you’ll not have proof of this conversation and the link in post #3 shows there was clear travel advice available in advance.

Unless you do have a ticket that was valid, you don’t have any option other than to pay up.

 

[30907]

Possible it was 2 advance singles as that is the cheapest method of a return from Nottingham to St Pancras a week or so in advance. They’re only valid on EMR.

The OP has described it as a "general ticket" without reservations, so no.

 

[Haywain]

The OP has described it as a "general ticket" without reservations, so no.

Unless the OP returns with proper details of the ticket we are dealing in guesswork

 

[Mainline421]

We need to see your ticket as well as the booking confirmation which would have shown the itinerary to use it on.

Why are you assuming the OP has an itinerary? It sounds like they used the return part of a Super-Off Peak Return or an Anytime Single, probably bought at the station. Both which are fully valid on via Grantham on LNER as far as I can tell, so the ticket office would be correct if such a ticket was shown.

 

[Haywain]

Why are you assuming the OP has an itinerary? It sounds like they used the return part of a Super-Off Peak Return or an Anytime Single, probably bought at the station. Both which are fully valid on via Grantham on LNER as far as I can tell, so the ticket office would be correct if such a ticket was shown.

You are assuming just as much. It may be that split tickets were held, hence the lack of validity on LNER, but we don't know.

 

[island]

Why are you assuming the OP has an itinerary?

Why are you assuming they don't?