The regulations define the basis for calculating the "single fare", and it specifically states that it is calculated using the next scheduled stop of the service, not the ultimate destination of the train or the passenger. The travel beyond the next scheduled stop is to be charged as a regular ticket (or I could have alighted, gone to the ticket office and purchased a new ticket, it would have been my choice, not the inspector's). Frankly it doesn't matter if the result would have been more expensive, the penalty fare was incorrectly calculated, and issued contrary to the law. I am not suggesting in this thread that the penalty fare should not have been issued, but that it was wrongly issued (issued for the wrong amount) according to the penalty fare regulations.

I understand your point but it was not the case. The inspector telephoned the ticket office and asked for the single fare, then doubled it (and the amount agrees with this). I suggested to him that this was not the correct calculation but he was rather adamant.

If they cancelled the PFN and prosecuted then I think that would be disallowed as vexatious. Also, the phrase in your book is to allow the journey to continue after payment of the penalty fare. E.g. If the penalty fare was £20 to the next station, and still £20 to the intended station you would insert the intended station in that box which would stop the passenger having to pay a second penalty fare when they alight. The Penalty Fare Rules are very clear on the amount that can be charged.

The ticket was issued from A-C. I bought it from the ticket machine and the railcard would have covered the whole journey. The Revenue officers checked the ticket and the railcard and the reason given for the Penalty Fare notice was "no railcard". I am not contesting the Penalty Fare on that basis, but that they issued it for the wrong amount and therefore it was unlawful. One thing I realised I didn't say was that journey B-C was on a different train company. Imagine (these aren't the correct stations) that I was travelling from Clapham Junction to Edinburgh, but I was stopped between Clapham Junction & London Victoria. The law says the PFN should be issued for the journey between Clapham Jcn and London, the onward journey to Edinburgh does not come into the equation at all. I have no issue with penalty fares, but they must be applied lawfully. The money isn't really an issue (less than £100) but they can't make up the rules. I note the point that they are highly-trained and I'm sure in general they would apply the correct fare but in this instance they charged me an amount that is not allowed under the law.

Dear All, I bought a ticket for a journey starting in London, travelling A-B-C (A and B are in London zones 2 & 3 respectively, C is in the country). Unfortunately my railcard had expired and when my ticket was inspected on the train I was given a Penalty Fare Notice. The penalty fare regulations set out the amount payable for a penalty fare; £20 or twice the single fare, and I was charged twice the single fare for the whole journey, A-B-C, even though my ticket was checked between A-B (and there was no possible through-train). This put me in the position that I would have been better off having no ticket at all, rather than having an invalid ticket. If the PFN was issued correctly, it should have been for £20. I appealed (twice) on the grounds the amount of the PFN was incorrect and therefore invalid but was rejected both times. I also wrote to London TravelWatch, but as the process of the appeal went as planned (even though I think the appeal was wrongly decided) they couldn't get involved. The amount I was overcharged was less than £100, and on principle I would like to pursue this to recover the money, but is the next step the small claims court?