Unfair Rail Fine

WhodahWoodah

I think that the ticket checker here should have been more lenient in the first place. The OP had actually bought and paid for the correct ticket. It's not like they were on the train with no ticket or had a cheaper ticket than they ought to have had. There was no revenue to protect here. All the OP was missing was the ID card which is something that I'm sure many people are unaware of. I hadn't heard of it before I read this and I use intercity quite often. In fairness I usually just buy the return ticket online but if I was going to be travelling all week I'd buy a weekly ticket. If the rule about the ID card isn't clearly stated on ALL ticket dispensing machines, ticket offices and the website then the only penalty there should be for not having one is that the ticket checker tells you to get one. It's no use having it written on the ticket because if you're looking at the ticket then you've already bought it and it's too late. Unless they now have photo machines in every railway station you won't have an ID in time for your train. They're the ones doing the selling, it should be their responsibility to give you all of the relevant facts. They certainly shouldn't be allowed to fine people for not knowing something that's only displayed on some of their ticket machines.

ellen_16

I had the exact same fine issued to me last May. I was getting a late train form Athenry to Athlone, the ticket office was closed with no conductor present and the automatic machine had no change. I tried many times to put in my 20e but it refused it every time. It was essential that I got on this train as I had school the next day, last minute leaving cert revision! I boarded the train hoping to explain my situation and the fact that I had no power over not being able to buy a ticket. He issued me with a fine and told me to appeal it. I rang the rpu the next day and e-mailed them, with no reply. This morning i received a letter stating that I had 7 days to pay a 117e fine or face prosecution. Any thoughts on how to deal with this?

markpb

ellen_16 wrote: »

Any thoughts on how to deal with this?

You should check this with Rail Users but I think the rules say that you must buy a ticket from a ticket office but make no reference to vending machines. I think this is because they don't sell all the types of tickets available.

Send a registered letter to them saying that the ticket office was closed, that you tried to use the vending machine but it wasn't working.

ellen_16

I had no feasible way of paying for a ticket which is the real problem which I have with them.

I intend on sending them a strongly worded letter, hopefully they will reply much sooner.

corktina

WhodahWoodah wrote: »

I think that the ticket checker here should have been more lenient in the first place. The OP had actually bought and paid for the correct ticket. It's not like they were on the train with no ticket or had a cheaper ticket than they ought to have had. There was no revenue to protect here. All the OP was missing was the ID card which is something that I'm sure many people are unaware of. I hadn't heard of it before I read this and I use intercity quite often. In fairness I usually just buy the return ticket online but if I was going to be travelling all week I'd buy a weekly ticket. If the rule about the ID card isn't clearly stated on ALL ticket dispensing machines, ticket offices and the website then the only penalty there should be for not having one is that the ticket checker tells you to get one. It's no use having it written on the ticket because if you're looking at the ticket then you've already bought it and it's too late. Unless they now have photo machines in every railway station you won't have an ID in time for your train. They're the ones doing the selling, it should be their responsibility to give you all of the relevant facts. They certainly shouldn't be allowed to fine people for not knowing something that's only displayed on some of their ticket machines.

There is revenue to protect here as it was a cheaper ticket purchased than should have been. Anyone knowingly buying that ticket hoping to get away with it would seem exactly the same as someone not reading the notice on the machine.

WhodahWoodah

I don't see how the OP had a cheaper ticket than they ought to Corktina. They bought a weekly ticket for a week's worth of journeys. Also the OP stated that on the particular machine that they bought the ticket from there was no red box with the warning about needing to have an accompanying ID. So they had the correct ticket, didn't have all the information and so ended up on the train wihout the ID. They weren't "knowingly" trying to get away with anything. If they had the ID Irish Rail wouldn't have ended up with any extra money as the weekly ticket was already paid for regardless. If Irish Rail update all of their machines so that without exception every single one gives the warning about the ID before the customer parts with any money then fair enough, but as long as some machines warn you and some don't then I don't think they have a leg to stand on.

loobylou

ellen_16 wrote: »

I had the exact same fine issued to me last May. I was getting a late train form Athenry to Athlone, the ticket office was closed with no conductor present and the automatic machine had no change. I tried many times to put in my 20e but it refused it every time. It was essential that I got on this train as I had school the next day, last minute leaving cert revision! I boarded the train hoping to explain my situation and the fact that I had no power over not being able to buy a ticket. He issued me with a fine and told me to appeal it. I rang the rpu the next day and e-mailed them, with no reply. This morning i received a letter stating that I had 7 days to pay a 117e fine or face prosecution. Any thoughts on how to deal with this?

This thread from Legal Discussions may be of interest to you, a somewhat similar situation.