Penalty fares

Passengers who receive penalty fares despite a genuine reason for not having a valid ticket are now able to challenge the fare with an independent committee not connected to train operating companies.

The new rules came into effect on April 6. Once an appeal is received by the committee, the 21-day deadline for payment of penalty fares will be paused until the outcome is decided.

The Department for Transport says the process will also “give greater consideration to circumstances of how and why the penalty was issued to ensure people are not unfairly penalised”.

Rail Minister Jo Johnson said: “Rail users should make every effort to get the right ticket for their journey. But if you make an honest mistake, you should feel confident that the appeals system will recognise this and treat you fairly.

“We are simplifying the rules around penalty fares and introducing an independent appeals process to help those who make a genuine error when using the railway.”

Mike Hewitson, head of policy at passenger watchdog Transport Focus, said: “This welcome safety net should help resolve the kind of cases we have been highlighting through our Ticket to Ride work, where passengers making an innocent mistake have been treated like fare-dodgers.

“The key thing now will be for the rail industry to empower its front-line staff to use more discretion right from the start.”

Rail Delivery Group Managing Director of Customer Experience Jacqueline Starr said fare evasion and avoidance cost the railway around £200 million per year.

She added: “Customers sometimes make genuine mistakes and the changes to the penalty fares system, which is meant to deter fare dodgers, will help those who feel they have been mistreated and ensure there is enough time to deal with their appeal.”

Under the current rules, passengers found without a valid ticket could receive a charge of either £20 or twice the full single fare from the station where they boarded to the next station at which their train stops.