Penalty Fares FAQs

01. What is a Penalty Fare?

A penalty fare is a charge of £20 or twice the full single fare from the station where apassenger got on the train to the next scheduled station stop or any other station stop shown on a Penalty Fare Notice, whichever is the greater.

02. What is the Authority for charging Penalty Fares?

National Express East Anglia is allowed to charge penalty fares in accordance with Section 130 of The Railways Act (1993), The Railways (Penalty Fares) Regulations 1994, as amended by The Railways (Penalty Fares) (Amendment) Regulations 2005, and Penalty Fare Rules that may be currently in force.

03. When is a Penalty Fare charged?

All penalty fares stations have ticket issuing facilities such as a staffed ticket office and/or self-service ticket issuing machines/ ‘Permit to Travel’ machines. You may be charged a penalty fare if you travel on a penalty fare train from a penalty fare station without a valid ticket for your entire rail journey, ‘Permit to Travel’ or other authorisation. This guide shows theroutes covered by National Express East Anglia penalty fares trains together with all penalty fares stations.

04. How do I know if I am travelling from a Penalty Fare Station?

All penalty fare stations have distinctive warning notices displayed at each entrance. Warning notices are also placed at easy-to-see locations on platforms, bridges, or underpasses at penalty fare stations where you might change from a train that is not subject to Penalty Fares Regulations.

05. How do I know if the train I intend to catch is a Penalty Fare Train?

All trains operating in the area bounded by Liverpool Street and EnfieldTown, Hertford East, Kings Lynn, StanstedAirport, Chingford, Upminster, Braintree, Norwich, Walton-on-the-Naze,Clacton, ColchesterTown, Southend Victoria stations are designated penalty fare trains.

06. Who can charge a Penalty Fare?

Any person designated a National Express East Anglia authorised collector under the terms of the Penalty Fare Regulations and Rules. Authorised collectors carry identity cards that you are entitled to see on request and will usually wear distinctive uniforms that show they work for us. Occasionally, our Revenue Protection Staff, who are all authorised collectors, will be operating on trains and at stations in plain clothes. When carrying out penalty fare duties in these circumstances, they will produce their authorised collectors identity cards.

07. When does a Penalty Fare have to be paid?

You will be requested to pay the full amount by the authorised collector at the time the penaltyfare is charged. If you do not, you will be expected to make a minimum payment equal to the full single fare that you would have had to pay for your journey if penalty fare rules did not apply. You then have 21 days to pay the remaining amount at a National Express East Anglia ticket office or to Independent Revenue Collection and Support, either by post or online. Both the postal and online addresses of Independent Revenue Collection and Support are shown on the penalty fare notice. Under exceptional circumstances, authorised collectors may use their discretion not to require the minimum payment but to allow you 21 days to pay all of the penalty fare. Should you choose not to pay the penalty fare in full at the time it is charged, the law requires that you give the authorised collector your current, full name and address. Failureto do so would be a criminal offence.

08. What if there is a long queue at the ticket office or it is closed when I try to buy my ticket?

You should use the self-service ticket machine provided at most stations to buy your ticket.The machines, which may accept cash or credit/debit cards depending on type, can issue a variety of tickets including 7 day season tickets (which must be supported by a photocardunless it is a Travel Card valid for travel exclusively within the Travel Card area) and tickets foruse with most national railcards. If you use a railcard, you are reminded that you must have the relevant railcard with you at the time of travel or the ticket will not be valid.

09. What if the ticket office is closed and I want a ticket that is not available from the self-serviceticket machine or the machine is broken?

A number of our stations are equipped with ‘Permit to Travel’ machines. You should buy apermit from the ‘Permit to Travel’ machine using the maximum number of coins up to the cost of the ticket you need. The permit should then be exchanged at a ticket office or with amember of staff for a ticket within two hours of issue and any difference in fare paid.‘Permit to Travel’ machines are normally located near ticket issuing facilities, at stationentrances or on platforms. Charts showing a limited range of fares are normally located nearby.

10. What if the ticket office is closed and the self-service machines, including the ‘Permit toTravel’ machine, are out of order?

If this is the case, rail staff will be aware of the situation and you will not be liable to a penalty fare if you board a penalty fare train without having first bought a ticket. The status of ticketissuing facilities at penalty fares stations is reported to our retail control centre which in turn advises authorised collectors by pager.

11. What if I decide to travel in First Class accommodation but only have a Standard Class ticket or season ticket?

Your ticket will not be valid and you will, therefore, be considered as travelling without aticket. A penalty fare of £20 or twice the First Class single fare, whichever is the greater will becharged. If you want to travel in First Class accommodation you must pay the extra fare toupgrade before you begin your journey.

12. Suppose I do not have my season ticket and/or photocard with me?

Your season ticket is normally only valid* if you also have your photocard with you. If you fail to carry both together you must buy a ticket for your journey before you travel. You canusually claim a full refund. Please note, however, only two such refunds are allowed in any 12 month period.

* You do not require a supporting photocard if your season ticket is an in-boundary Travel Card on an Oyster Card or it is a national rail Travel Card, valid for 7 days travel exclusively within the Travel Card area.

13. What if I do not have my season ticket and/or photocard with me and do not buy a ticket?

Under these circumstances you will be charged a penalty fare against which you may appeal. You will need to provide a good quality photocopy of both your season ticket and photocard to the address shown on the penalty fare notice. Please note, you are only allowed two such appeals in any 12 month period on these grounds.

Note: Oyster Travel Card season tickets do not require supporting photocards. In these circumstances, an appealagainst a penalty fare for not carrying your Oyster Card season ticket must be supported by a photocopy of your Gold Record Card or a printout of your Oyster Card details, obtainable from Transport for London underground stations.

14. What if I decide to travel further than the destination shown on my ticket, after I have startedmy journey?

If you remain on the train after it has passed the destination shown on your ticket, and have no other ticket, you may be charged a penalty fare. To avoid being charged a penalty fare, you must get off at your original intended destination and buy an additional ticket for onward travel.

15. Do Penalty Fares apply to ‘fare dodgers’?

A penalty fare is simply a charge that National Express East Anglia is allowed to make under the Penalty Fare Regulations and Rules. It is not a fine and anyone who is charged one is not being accused of avoiding, or attempting to avoid, paying his or her fare. ‘Fare dodging’ is acompletely different matter. It is a criminal offence and we treat it as such by prosecuting offenders under criminal law.

16. What if I think I have been treated unfairly?

You have the right of appeal to: Independent Appeal Service PO Box 212, Petersfield GU32 9BQ
You must write explaining the grounds for your appeal so that it is received within 21 days from the issue date of the Penalty Fare. Appeals can also be made online by accessing the website: www.ircas.co.uk