London Underground

[caragh04]

Hello HBI checked the letter again and their was a reference number. I Sent a letter off to them yesterday. I am praying they will let me settle out of court. I will let you know the outcome.Thank you again for all you help and advise. This forum is fantastic. It has really helped me.Kindest regards, Caragh

[honeybee13]

Hello again, thank you for letting us know. I hope you get on OK, please let us know or ask for more help.

 

My best, HB

[c_matrix_c]

Hi All

 

I got caught today using my brothers Student Oyster card. I have been using it for 2 weeks as my brother is away on holiday.

 

I told the TFL staff that I only used it for one day and that I realise that I shouldnt have used this card.

 

They have taken the card and told me to wait to hear from TFL

 

I am feeling very bad to have done this and scared of what will happen next. I have a few questions

 

• If I plead guilty by post, do I still have to goto court?
  
• If I pleasd guilty by post, do I get a Criminal record?
  

I am happy to pay the fines and want to avoid going to court. I am already feeling very stressed. I know Im at fault and feel ashamed.

 

Any suggestions will be helpful.

[honeybee13]

Hello there, welcome to the forum.

 

We're not here to judge you, as you obviously know what you've done. I do know that LUL are able to check the record for this Student Oyster back for a couple of months, so the full story about your use of it may come out.

 

The guys will tell you more about pleading by post, etc when they come along, but I don't think you'll be able to negotiate with LUL until you receive their letter and reference. This could take some weeks to arrive.

 

My best, HB

[Old-CodJA]

I am feeling very bad to have done this and scared of what will happen next. I have a few questions

 

• If I plead guilty by post, do I still have to goto court?
  
• If I pleasd guilty by post, do I get a Criminal record?
  

I am happy to pay the fines and want to avoid going to court.

 

Firstly, we have to make clear that there is not an option of the traveller making a straight choice between 'settling out of court , or being prosecuted'. That decision is entirely in the hands of TfL

 

That said, if you can convince them that it is in their better interests to allow a settlement, they will seriously consider it.

 

As we have said many times in all these threads, wait until you get a letter from TfL, then you will have the reference number for your case and will know what TfL plan to do before you write.

 

Once you get that letter, send a prompt letter of apology in reply and ask if the matter can be settled without court action in order to preserve your good name and offer to pay all of their reasonable costs plus the fare/s due.

 

They may say 'no'.

 

TfL do view transferred oysters / tickets as a serious abuse of trust, but you can do no more than ask for this consideration as soon as you get that letter.

Edited July 19, 2011 by Old-CodJA
spelling & grammar

[Alkalo]

I am not sure if I am doing things the right way as I am new to this forum. I recently had a problem with TFL. I visited London in June 2011 to attend a conference at UCL. At the conference I was told that in London tickets are bought at Bus Stops before boarding and that drivers are not allowed to accept payments. The conference closed late and I could not afford to miss my coach back to Leeds. When I get out of UCL I saw a long bus going to Victoria. I ran to the stop and before it came I looked for the ticket vending machine. I could not see one (but after the incident I reflected on why I did not see the machine and I concluded that I was looking for it at a wrong place - in the stand rather than outside the stand). On the way I was confronted by TFL Police Officers for travelling without a ticket. I explained to them that I am new to the whole system; that I was told that tickets are bought at Bus Stops but did not see it at the Stop where I boarded the bus; that as I was going to another place and considering the limited time I had I was going to buy it at the Stop where I was to take another bus to my destination since tickets are bought at only Bus Stops.The Police Officers said that it is written on buses that tickets must be bought before boarding it and that I should have read this before getting into the bus. I said to them that to be ignorant of a rule is no excuse but it is because of the way I understood things and my unfamiliarity with the system. I said to them that let me pay whatever I am supposed to pay but they said they were not there to accept payments.

 

They asked for my identification which I provided to them including a letter bearing my home address. They asked me if I was ever arrested before I said no; what I do as a profession and I told them that I am a Doctorate degree student; if I am a Doctor I said no; if I will be a Doctor I said yes if I successfully complete the course; if I am an illegal immigrant I said no; At that point they contacted Immigration after which they came back to me and told me the date when my visa expires. They also asked if I will complete the course before the expiration of my visa and I said to them that that is what I want. They then asked me to go but I again offered to pay whatever I was supposed to pay as I planned to buy a ticket anyway. But they again stated that they were not there to receive payments and that I will be written to for an explanation. That when I receive the letter I can write back and and hopefully the matter might be positively considered.

 

When I received the letter I summarised what happened and apologised unreservedly as it was a matter of ignorance and unfamiliarity on my side. However, this was not acceptable to them and they wrote back to say that they will still go ahead with the prosecution. When I received the summons letter last week I contact them and was able to convince them for the matter to be settled out of court as I am worried about its implications on my records. They have now asked me to pay £250.00.

 

I am still worried as to whether the case will affect my CRB (standard and enhanced). I will therefore be grateful if you anyone can help me with this concern. TFL stated in their warning and withdrawal letter that they will keep the records for 12 months. I am however not sure about that of the Court. Please help.

[SRPO]

£250 is a bit excessive, ask for a costs schedule.

[llkkqq]

Dear Alkalo,

 

That's great you finally settle out of court. Could you please give details of how you convinced them finally? Thanks very much.

 

I am not sure if I am doing things the right way as I am new to this forum. I recently had a problem with TFL. I visited London in June 2011 to attend a conference at UCL. At the conference I was told that in London tickets are bought at Bus Stops before boarding and that drivers are not allowed to accept payments. The conference closed late and I could not afford to miss my coach back to Leeds. When I get out of UCL I saw a long bus going to Victoria. I ran to the stop and before it came I looked for the ticket vending machine. I could not see one (but after the incident I reflected on why I did not see the machine and I concluded that I was looking for it at a wrong place - in the stand rather than outside the stand). On the way I was confronted by TFL Police Officers for travelling without a ticket. I explained to them that I am new to the whole system; that I was told that tickets are bought at Bus Stops but did not see it at the Stop where I boarded the bus; that as I was going to another place and considering the limited time I had I was going to buy it at the Stop where I was to take another bus to my destination since tickets are bought at only Bus Stops.The Police Officers said that it is written on buses that tickets must be bought before boarding it and that I should have read this before getting into the bus. I said to them that to be ignorant of a rule is no excuse but it is because of the way I understood things and my unfamiliarity with the system. I said to them that let me pay whatever I am supposed to pay but they said they were not there to accept payments.

 

They asked for my identification which I provided to them including a letter bearing my home address. They asked me if I was ever arrested before I said no; what I do as a profession and I told them that I am a Doctorate degree student; if I am a Doctor I said no; if I will be a Doctor I said yes if I successfully complete the course; if I am an illegal immigrant I said no; At that point they contacted Immigration after which they came back to me and told me the date when my visa expires. They also asked if I will complete the course before the expiration of my visa and I said to them that that is what I want. They then asked me to go but I again offered to pay whatever I was supposed to pay as I planned to buy a ticket anyway. But they again stated that they were not there to receive payments and that I will be written to for an explanation. That when I receive the letter I can write back and and hopefully the matter might be positively considered.

 

When I received the letter I summarised what happened and apologised unreservedly as it was a matter of ignorance and unfamiliarity on my side. However, this was not acceptable to them and they wrote back to say that they will still go ahead with the prosecution. When I received the summons letter last week I contact them and was able to convince them for the matter to be settled out of court as I am worried about its implications on my records. They have now asked me to pay £250.00.

 

I am still worried as to whether the case will affect my CRB (standard and enhanced). I will therefore be grateful if you anyone can help me with this concern. TFL stated in their warning and withdrawal letter that they will keep the records for 12 months. I am however not sure about that of the Court. Please help.

[honeybee13]

This thread seems to have run its course and we haven't seen the OP recently. I think it's best to close it now.

 

HB