Irish Rail - fine for not carrying my Annual Ticket while travelling

Jamie2k9

Getting on board a train under the assumption that a mobile ticket conductor carries a card terminal on him to accept your Laser or Visa is pushing it. You don't walk into pubs or shops and get purchases for free if their terminals aren't in service; it's up to you to get cash if they can't take plastic so on board a train is no different

If passengers don't know how IE un offical policy works then what do they expect. In a court of appeal you would win. Until IE have a clear policy in place to deal with unmaned stations and no TMV passengers could appeal fines and win. They need clear notices at All stations and staff on trains to allow tickets be purchsed. Do IE beleave that people will buy when journey is completed?

Rathdrum station has a notice up saying that there is no booking office or TVM. It also states where the nearest ATM is.

Thomastwon has no signs up at all, only signs are the current timetable in operation.

Losty Dublin

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

If passengers don't know how IE un offical policy works then what do they expect. In a court of appeal you would win. Until IE have a clear policy in place to deal with unmaned stations and no TMV passengers could appeal fines and win. They need clear notices at All stations.

Why do you reckon a ticket evasion charge would be dropped because you can't pay with Plastic on board?

Hilly Bill

Are you in the legal business Jamie?

Jamie2k9

Why do you reckon a ticket evasion charge would be dropped because you can't pay with Plastic on board?

It would be dropped on grounds that IE have no clear policy in place and no infomation for the passenger about unmaned stations until they get fined 100 euro. The passenger may of gone to the station thinking that there would be staff or a TMV in the station that accepts cards.

Until IE have clear notices at all stations they have no policy. All it would take is for IT crowed in IE to add a little note to the homepage of website, journey planner if you select Thomaston-xxx and in the upcoming timetables that are at stations.

Are you in the legal business Jamie?

Aviation.

Hilly Bill

Thought your were a solicitor or something with the legal advice that you were giving out.

Losty Dublin

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

It would be dropped on grounds that IE have no clear policy in place and no infomation for the passenger about unmaned stations until they get fined 100 euro. The passenger may of gone to the station thinking that there would be staff or a TMV in the station that accepts cards.

Until IE have clear notices at all stations they have no policy. All it would take is for IT crowed in IE to add a little note to the homepage of website, journey planner if you select Thomaston-xxx and in the upcoming timetables that are at stations.

Ignorance of law isn't a defence. And bear in mind that will be after somebody being issued with a standard fare ticket stating which law you are alleged to have broken. Having no ticket machine to hand to buy a ticket is allowed for. Not paying because you can't use plastic won't work in a court; to argue otherwise is plain silly.

Our man in Havana

It would be interesting to see it play out in front of a judge.

Jamie2k9

Ignorance of law isn't a defence. And bear in mind that will be after somebody being issued with a standard fare ticket stating which law you are alleged to have broken. Having no ticket machine to hand to buy a ticket is allowed for. Not paying because you can't use plastic won't work in a court; to argue otherwise is plain silly.

How can IE justify fining a passenger for not being able to purchse a ticket when they are unaware of a station that has no TMV or ticket office and unable to buy onboard as they expected to pay with a card at the station. IE need to provide infomation to passengers which they are not so until that happens you could easily win an appeal.

IE have the right to fine me if I use a pre booked ticket on another service and don't pay 10 euro surchage at the station. The reason being is because its clearly state on there webstie/T&C at time of booking that if I do not pay the 10 euo surchage I don't have a valid ticket.

Losty Dublin

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

How can IE justify fining a passenger for not being able to purchse a ticket when they are unaware of a station that has no TMV or ticket office and unable to buy onboard as they expected to pay with a card at the station. IE need to provide infomation to passengers which they are not so until that happens you could easily win an appeal.

IE have the right to fine me if I use a pre booked ticket on another service and don't pay 10 euro surchage at the station. The reason being is because its clearly staed on there webstie/T&C at time of booking that if I do not pay the 10 euo surchage I don't have a valid ticket.

No business is obliged to take anything but cash. If you can't use a credit card or bank card then it's your problem to get cash not the vendor. For the record, most stations and TVM's take cards so you are making a mountain of a molehill as well as giving out very shaky legal advice without any idea as to what you are talking about.

As regards no ticket office or TVM on hand, that's been well discussed on here and you aren't adding anything new to the debate TBH

Jamie2k9

Losty Dublin wrote: »

No business is obliged to take anything but cash. If you can't use a credit card or bank card then it's your problem to get cash not the vendor. For the record, most stations and TVM's take cards so you are making a mountain of a molehill as well as giving out very shaky legal advice without any idea as to what you are talking about.

As regards no ticket office or TVM on hand, that's been well discussed on here and you aren't adding anything new to the debate TBH

My point about card payments was only aimed at stations with no TMV or Office.

Until IE start providing clear infomation in relation to these stations then people will have very good grounds for winning an appeal. Currently there is no infomation and that could be addressed very easily.