Revealed: How train firms pick on passengers for innocent mistakes

Some even face criminal prosecution after getting caught up in a “minefield of rules and regulations”, according to a report from Passenger Focus.

Hundreds of passengers complained to Passenger Focus about their unfair treatment. Some had forgotten their ticket but still faced fines even though they could produce proof of purchase.

One woman who had her £2 ticket checked on the train still faced an £85 fine when she was unable to produce it at her destination station.

Two elderly disabled passengers who had tickets for a specific train boarded an earlier service after one fell over and was in pain.

Passenger Focus said their hope that the train company would be understanding was in vain and they were issued with an unpaid fares notice for £239.

A woman passenger was threatened with prosecution unless she was willing to pay £92 despite having proof of purchase and the return half of her ticket.

Passenger Focus chief executive Anthony Smith said: “No-one is in favour of fare dodgers. However, passengers deserve a fair hearing. If they have forgotten their railcard, lost one of their tickets but have proof of purchase or have been unable to pick up booked tickets, they should be given a second chance.

He went on: “Any form of privatised justice like this must be administered according to clear guidelines, be accountable, give passengers a fair hearing and not assume everyone is guilty.”

Here are some of the cases cited in Passenger Focus’s report:

• Mr H selected the print-at-home option for his tickets but forgot to print them. On the day he took his email confirmation to the ticket office who told him to speak to the train conductor.

He did so before boarding and was advised to get on. His details were taken later by a different member of staff. He subsequently received a court summons for not having a valid ticket.

• Two elderly, disabled passengers had tickets for a specific train. One of the passengers fell over and was in pain. In a desire to get home they travelled on an earlier train. They acknowledged that their tickets were not valid but felt that the train company would understand the circumstances. Wrong assumption: they were issued with an “unpaid fares notice” for £239.

• Miss A could not produce her ticket when asked. Despite having proof of purchase and the return half of the ticket, she was threatened with prosecution unless she was willing to pay £92 to “settle”.

• Mrs C had her ticket checked on board the train. When she got off she left her ticket behind, believing that as it was an unstaffed station she would not need it again. A ticket check was in operation; she was subsequently offered an “out-of-court” settlement if she paid £85. The original ticket cost £2 and she had no prior record of ticketless travel.

• Miss F bought an advance ticket for a long-distance journey. She used her railcard, which reduced the fare from £14 to just under £10. She forgot her railcard and was issued a penalty fare for £260 (twice the most expensive peak fare for that journey). She was willing and able to prove that she had a railcard after the event but to no avail.

• Due to earlier delays and cancellations Ms W was unable to pick up her booked tickets from a ticket machine as planned. She rang the train company and was advised to board and use her email confirmation. She was given a UFN for boarding the train without a valid ticket. Even though she was able to collect the original tickets at the end of her journey, her appeal was rejected.