New independent appeals process to protect passengers issued with penalty fares READ MORE HERE: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-independent-appeals-process-to-protect-passengers-issued-with-penalty-fares

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/02/01/end-rip-off-rail-fares-ticket-pricing-system-gets-overhaul/

A barrister who dodged train fares for two years has been brought to justice Dr Peter Barnett, 44, was given a 16-week suspended sentence after swindling a rail company out of £5,892. Australian-born Dr Barnett, who won a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University, had been accused of avoiding £19,689. But his lawyer Angus Bunyan argued successfully that the figure – based on the full single fare for each dodged journey – was too high. http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/609167/Barrister-fare-dodger-two-years-sentenced-court http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/569758/Lawyer-prison-rail-fare?_ga=1.49340771.450238813.1443865536

Rail passengers are routinely being denied the cheapest fares when they buy tickets at stations, The Telegraph can disclose. Self-service machines — which are used to purchase almost a quarter of all tickets sold annually — offer wildly different fares, an investigation by this newspaper shows. Customers buying from a machine can pay more than £200 when a ticket for the same destination can be found elsewhere at the station for more than £100 cheaper. For example, at machines run by train company Northern Rail in Leeds, passengers buying a First-Class Anytime Return to Birmingham were charged £271. Only feet away, an East Coast trains machine offered the same journey using a First-Class Off-peak Return for £145.70. This type of ticket is not available for customers using Northern Rail’s machines, which means that some passengers might not be aware that they could save £125.30 by travelling off-peak. The Telegraph investigation examined rail fares across the country and found that customers were being offered different prices for the same journey depending on which operator’s machine they used. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/11175688/Rail-ticket-rip-off-passengers-routinely-denied-cheapest-fares.html The best way to ensure you don't get ripped off is to buy your ticket at the ticket office. Ticket office clerks are required by law to offer the cheapest tickets, regardless of which company they work for.

Hi I'm doing a 6 months course and have been told by the college I'm starting my course at that JOBCENTRE will pay for my fares there and back. I kept all my fares and gave them to the Jobcentre 2 weeks ago. Jobcentre said they will NOT pay my fares and it cost me LOTS! I can't afford to pay for this course back and fourth. They put me on this course so why am I paying for it?!

Apologies if this post comes off blunt, I just want to lay out the main elements. I've been caused a lot of stress by this, I'm very worried that this'll damage my job prospects, and I was stupid not to have paid that bus fare. I'm a student on my gap year, and will be going to uni next year. I'm direly low on money, and that's part of the reason I evaded the fare. Sorry to all the hard working paying customers of TfL for that First off, about me, 18yo, just left school (ie had free bus travel up until two weeks ago), no criminal convictions, never in trouble with the police, etc. Also I know what I did was wrong, and I really really won't be doing that again ever. Recently I evaded a fare (purposefully). I'd used my partner's Oyster Card, with student rate (ie free bus travel), and this was the first time I'd borrowed somebody's Oyster Card in my life, I'd done it so I could go home to get my work uniform and then return to hers. I took two buses home, couldn't find any money at all and my mum wasn't in, and so I took two buses back, and of course as always in life on the last bus I got caught, so I'm guessing that 4 journeys in total exacerbates things. I originally lied about my address, but quickly admitted to a ticket inspector I'd done this, he changed it, offered me a £40 fine (which I couldn't pay, cause I had no money, hence using my girlfriend's Oyster) and sent me on my way after confiscating my girlfriend's Oyster card. I received a letter from TfL today saying that they would like to accept my comments within 10 days, and then the line that worried me the most - "You do not have to say anything, but etc etc". I've only not had free travel for 2 weeks, so I couldn't have abused the system repeatedly, no past convictions, nothing apart from this one mishap. Does that mean they're going to take me to court? If so, what are they likely to charge me with, and will it be a permanent criminal record? What are my options, and how likely is it they'll have me up? I haven't stolen the card, so I know that works for me and against my girlfriend, who admitted that it was hers when the police found it. Thanks for all advice, and again I know it was wrong, and I won't be doing that again, so moral advice isn't needed! Also, 23 people viewing and no replies? Please help, need this advice as soon as I can!

As English fans cheer securing a victory over their Ukrainian hosts on Tuesday night,any fans making a late decision to fly out and follow England will have little to cheer when they see the prices of flights which have increased massively from usual fares. I decided to take a look at 4 leading carriers with regular routes to Kiev from London. Boryspil is still the biggest airport and is serviced by all the majors except Wizz Air,who have made the smaller Zhulani their Ukraine hub. Boryspil is approximately 40 minutes ride from the centre of Kiev,whils Zhulani is only around 15 minutes. A typical return flight from London Luton to Kiev at this time of the year can usually be booked for between £140-£180 including 32kg baggage.In fact holders of a Wizz Air membership which costs £24.99 can get up to 20% discount on flights booked online. So here is the online price found after England secured their victory,based on staying for the duration of the tournament. Going Out London Luton (LTN) >> Kyiv Zhulyany (IEV) 06/22/12 W6 6001 Depart LTN 4:30 PM Return Flight Coming Back Kyiv Zhulyany (IEV) >> London Luton (LTN) 07/02/12 W6 6002 Depart IEV 10:10 PM Price Summary Service fees Going Out LTN >> IEV (Web) 1 Adult @ 319.49 319.49 GBP Taxes / Fees [details] 20.50 GBP Coming Back IEV >> LTN (Web) 1 Adult @ 329.32 329.32 GBP Taxes / Fees [details] 10.67 GBP Services and Fees Baggage fee 42.00 GBP Taxes 0.00 GBP price excluding booking fee 721.98 GBP Booking fee 14 GBP total price 735.98 GBP