Why is a penalty Fare scheme necessary?
Penalty Fares are in place to encourage passengers to buy a ticket before travelling. Even if only a small percentage of passengers travel without paying, the Train Operating Companies lose substantial sums of money. Reducing the number of passengers who do not pay is therefore in the interest of the majority of fare paying passengers.
How much is the Penalty Fare?
If you board a train without a valid ticket for your entire journey, or a valid Permit to Travel, you may be charged a Penalty Fare of £20 or twice the full single fare (whichever is the greater) to the next stop, plus the full single fare to complete your journey.
The minimum penalty Fare charge is now £20. This is an increase approved by Parliament since the publication of the rules, 2002 and have not caused the rules to be re-written.
If I do not buy a ticket before travelling, will I automatically receive a Penalty Fare or Unpaid Fare Notice?
You are responsible for ensuring that you buy a ticket that is valid for your entire journey before travelling, otherwise you may be issued with a penalty or receive an Unpaid Fare Notice.
If there is a queue at the ticket office can I board the train without a valid ticket?
No. It is your responsibilty to allow yourself reasonable time to buy a ticket before travelling. Automatic self-service ticket machines are provided at all stations as an additional method of buying a ticket. Tickets can also be bought in advance of travel from ticket offices, by phone or via the internet.
Can I pay at my destination if I am in a rush?
No. If you board a train without a valid ticket, you are likely to be issued with a Penalty Notice and will probably have to pay a Penalty Fare.
What if I have difficulty purchasing a ticket before travelling?
In addition to ticket offices, most locations have self-service ticket machines and/or a Permit to Travel machine and these are regularly maintained, making the circumstances in which you are unable to purchase a ticket very unusual.
Is the appeals service independent?
The Appeals Service is completely independent of the Train Operating Companies who charge penalty fares. Its accounting procedures have been designed to allow independent auditing by the Train Operating Companies, and its management structure does not report to any train company.
Is the service confidential?
The Independent Appeals Service is registered under the Data Protection Act (registration number PZ8097933). It promises to treat all rail users' personal information as private and confidential. Neither the name nor the address of a rail user will be disclosed other than in exceptional cases permitted in law.
Is the service free to rail users?
The Independent Appeals Service is completely free for rail users. All appeals must be made in writing and must arrive no later than the appeal-by date shown on the notice. This is normally 21 days after the date on which the penalty fares notice was issued.
Is the service free to rail companies?
The Independent Appeals Service charges the relevant Train Operating Company for its service. IAS charges the company the same amount for each appeal, regardless of whether the appeal is accepted or declined.
How will appeals be investigated?
When a rail user appeals against a penalty fare, the Independent Appeals Service is given access to all the relevant information held by the Train Operating Company that issued the penalty.
Train Operating Companies are also required to provide the Independent Appeals Service with a copy of their penalty fares scheme (as approved by the DfT) and a copy of the written instructions and guidance given to Authorised Collectors about how they should implement the penalty fares scheme and how they should use discretion in individual cases.
Fairness & Consistency?
The Independent Appeals Service aims to treat all appeals fairly and consistently. Every appeal is considered by a trained Appeals Assessment officer and the information provided by the passenger, together with any supporting evidence, is considered carefully along with information and evidence provided by the Train Operating Company.
The Department for Transport believes that appeals should be accepted in the following situations:
- if an operator has failed to meet the requirements of the scheme, the rules or the regulations
- appropriate discretion has not been used
The DfT has approved the Independent Appeals Service (IAS) as a penalty fare appeal service provider. The Code of Practice and the Penalty Fare Rules 2002 are freely available to the public, however for obvious reasons we do not publicise the detailed assessment criteria to avoid deliberate misuse by dishonest people.