Penalty Fare Appeal Support

Posts Tagged ‘Publications’

(Photograph: Dan Chung/Reuters)

The Coroners inquest into the Potters Bar train crash concluded today with the Coroner, Judge Michael Findlay Baker QC, raising fears that more passengers death could happen.

Today, after the jury concluded there were failures of inspection and/or maintenance of the points in the period before the crash, the coroner said he would file a report warning of continued risk of other deaths on the rail network .

The coroner also criticised the ‘indefensible’ len

Seven people were killed, Austen Kark, Emma Knights, Jonael Schickler, Alexander Ogunwusi, Chia Hsin Lin, Chia Chin Wu, Agnes Quinlivan, was hit by debris while walking nearby.

gth of time families of the victims had had to wait for an inquest to be held. “Whatever the causes, the passage of over eight years from the derailment to the conclusion of the hearing of the inquest is indefensible.”

Both the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have stated that they will be looking to see if any evidence came out of the inquest in order to look at criminal prosecutions.

Full transcripts can be found at http://pottersbarinquest.independent.gov.uk/

We have been contacted by another site requesting publicly. We at PFAS are always happy to help fellow sites, that share the same beliefs as us, in getting extra traffic to their relevent websites.

The site in question, www.faresmanual.co.uk, has a lot of great resources which are available to anyone to download.

The site owners have also told us by e-mail that they are planning to do a lot more with the site in the future months ahead.

NFM06

In what can only be described as heaven for most Thameslink commuters, Connex has been reported as expressing an interest in taking over the Capital Connect franchise, reports are saying.

Connex has approached the newly formed Department of Cockups, Railways and Passengers (DCRaP)

A spokesperson for Connex told us “If First can get away with the delays, driver shortages, lack of information, ignoring customers and major screw ups that they currently are getting away with, then we thought we might as well have a go as well.”
When asked about Connex South Eastern and Connex South Central the spokesman replied “We weren’t as bad then as First is now, yet we were stripped of our franchise, and First gets away with it! Hardly fair you think? We at Connex think the reason First are allowed to get away with it, is because a lot of back handers are being given to various people!”
“We will pretend to listen, will come up with some slogan that we think the passengers will want to hear. We will tell the drivers to work or else they will find themselves out of work and we will replace them with our European drivers.”
“We will actually run to a timetable, it may not be one that you’ll like but at least our trains will not be late.”
“We will pretend to claim that we are investing in whatever is the best thing at the time, but actually we wont.”

PFAS thinks that if Connex is allowed to take over the running of the Capital Connect franchise it wont do any further harm to an already poorly run franchise.

Get out of London with Oyster.

Some of the train companies in and around London & South East area in association with Oyster have come up with a great promotion for the forthcoming summer months.

PFAS has got a hold of this offer early and before it has been released to the General Public. The offer starts on Saturday 26th June 2010.

Participating train companies in the Oyster card holders ‘Get Out of London’ Adult Return promotional ticket offers are: c2c, Chiltern Railways, First Capital Connect, First Great Western, London Midland, National Express East Anglia, Southern, and South West Trains.

No other train companies are involved and the following are excluded: East Coast, East Midlands Trains, Grand Central, Gatwick Express, Heathrow Connect, Heathrow Express, Hull Trains, London Overground, Southeastern, Virgin Trains, Wrexham & Shropshire.

The Oyster card Adult Return promotional fares are valid for travel in Standard accommodation from London Terminal stations and are based on £5, £10, £15 and £20 price bands.

Each participating train company has decided on the destinations available on their lines of route and the price they will charge, plus whether it is available as an Adult Off-Peak Day Return or an Adult Off-Peak Return (one month return validity). Many Train Companies are additionally offering First Class Adult Return promotional fares (price and conditions also determined by the participating train company).

The Oyster card promotion will run between Saturday 26 June 2010 and Sunday 25 July 2010. Normal Off-Peak fare restrictions will apply – so available for travel on Sat-Sun any time and Mon-Fri outside of rush-hours as applicable.

Customers using the promotional Off-Peak Adult Return (one month return validity) may return within one calendar month subject to usual Off-Peak Return restriction, i.e. tickets issued for outward travel on 25 July 2010 are valid for return up to and including 24 August 2010.

Oyster card holders must visit www.daysoutguide.co.uk/oyster to get a detailed overview showing where and when they can travel and to download a voucher.

The promotional rail travel voucher from www.daysoutguide.co.uk/oyster will act as the customers entitlement to buy their ticket at the special Adult Return promotional rail fare. They must carry their Oyster card with them at all times and must produce both the voucher and card for ticket inspection.

The full internal briefing document can be downloaded here.

Full Terms and conditions:

1. The following types of Oyster card/Freedom pass are valid: Standard Adult Oyster card; 16+ Oyster photocard; 18+ Student Oyster photocard; Veterans Oyster photocard; Elite Athletes Oyster photocard; Visitor Oyster card; OnePulse Barclaycard; Staff Oyster photocards; Freedom pass (all versions).
2. To book your promotional ticket please present this voucher and your Oyster card/Freedom pass at a National Rail staffed station ticket office, either in advance (recommended) or on the day of travel. Bookings open on Monday 21 June and can be made at any time until Sunday 25 July 2010 inclusive. Please note that tickets cannot be bought from ticket vending machines, online or over the phone. We strongly advise customers to book ahead for their convenience and to avoid queuing on the day of travel.
3. Travel is available from Saturday 26 June 2010 to Sunday 25 July 2010 inclusive (date of outward travel as shown above). Normal Off-Peak fare restrictions apply to all promotional fares. This means you can travel any time on Sat-Sun and outside of rush hours on Mon-Fri as applicable. If you are using the promotional Off-Peak Adult Return (one month validity), your return journey can be made within one calendar month, e.g. tickets issued for travel on Sunday 25 July are valid for return up to and including Tuesday 24 August 2010.
4. Promotional tickets are only valid for journeys departing from London terminus stations. Customers may also join or alight at the intermediate stations where their train from/to London calls. Customers must make their own travel arrangements to travel to and from the London terminal station.
5. There are no specific Child discounted fares for this promotion. Children (aged 5-15) accompanying the Oyster card or
Freedom pass holder will pay the normal child fare (including child flat fares where available). Where the normal child fare for the journey costs more than the adult promotional fare, the child may be issued with the adult promotional fare instead (max. 4 children per adult and must travel together) – this will not require a separate downloadable voucher. There are no further discounts for Railcard holders.
6. You must present your voucher and your Oyster card/Freedom pass to train company staff. Only the following train companies are participating in the Oyster card/Freedom pass promotion: c2c, Chiltern Railways, First Capital Connect, First Great Western, London Midland, National Express East Anglia, Southern, South West Trains. Travel is not permitted on train services provided by any other train company or transport provider.
7. Promotional tickets are issued subject to the National Conditions of Carriage and normal refund and break of journey
conditions apply.
8. For a list of the destinations covered by the Oyster card/Freedom pass promotion, please visit www.daysoutguide.co.uk/oyster.

As was reported everywhere including on our blog, National Express had its East Coast Mainline franchise stripped off them on 14th November 2009.

As regular travellers on this train company, PFAS has noticed many changes in only two months.

• The “At Seat” dining menu has been changed, some say for the better, with new meals and a lot more “value for money” items.
• The staff are a lot happier and are smiling.
• East Coast abolished the stupid seat reservation charge.
• Faults on trains are actually being repaired instead of being put off.
• A new smarter uniform has been created, although its pink!
• You get a lot more ‘freebies’ when travelling First Class, including new chocolate dunk biscuits.
• The trolley service in standard, which always used to have technical problems, is actually being provided.

The new EU Legislation 1371/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council came into force today.

Some aspects of this new European Law have not come into effect and some aspects are, in the words of the European Council, Mandatory.

• Under the Rail Passengers Regulation 1371/2007, common minimum rules will apply throughout Europe, for instance in case of delays or cancellation of trains. In addition, since rights are meaningless unless passengers are aware of them and know how to pursue them, the railway companies are obliged to inform passengers of their rights and obligations and to establish complaint boards.
• Railway companies and station managers have to establish non-discriminatory access rules for the transport of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility, including for example the elderly. Railway companies shall provide disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility with assistance on board a train and during boarding and disembarking from a train free of charge.

• Rail passengers in Europe have to be informed comprehensively and in the most appropriate format. Particular attention shall be paid in this regard to the needs of people with auditory and/or visual impairment. Such information encompasses:
  • Pre-journey information:
    Which general conditions apply to the contract?
    What is the fastest trip and which has the lowest fares?
    Are there facilities for disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility as well as passengers with bicycles while entering the train and on board?
    Are there seats in smoking and non-smoking compartments, in first and second class as well as couchettes and sleeping carriages?
    Will the journey be disrupted or delayed?
    What kinds of services are offered on board?
    Where and how can I reclaim lost luggage and submit my complaint?
  • Information during the journey:
    Which services are offered on board?
    Which is the next station?
    Is the train delayed and if yes, when it is expected to arrive?
    Which main connecting services are available?
    What do I have to take into account in terms of security issues?

• The railway companies shall enable passengers to bring their bicycles on to any train, if they are easy to handle, if it does not adversely affect the specific rail service, and if the rolling-stock so permits.
• Once a delay of at least 60 minutes is foreseeable, the passenger shall immediately have the choice between:
  (i) Reimbursement of the full cost of the ticket or for the part of the journey not made and for the part already made if the journey is no longer serving any purpose in relation to the passenger’s original travel plan. Furthermore, in this case the passenger is eligible for a return service to the first point of departure at the earliest opportunity
  (ii) Continuation of the journey or re-routing under comparable conditions to the final destination at the earliest opportunity or to the final destination at a later date at the passenger’s convenience.
• In case of any delay of at least 60 minutes, passengers have to be offered free meals and refreshments in reasonable relation to the waiting time.
• Compensation of the ticket price shall be paid within one month after the submission of the request for compensation. The compensation may be paid in vouchers and/or other services if the terms are flexible (in particular regarding the validity period and destination). The compensation shall be paid in money at the request of the passenger.

Summary of EU New Passenger Rights. PDF

Full Document.

You may have arrived at out site looking for the National Rail Fares Manual (NFM); we did have a link to this product but were asked to remove this by ATOC.

“The ‘National Rail Fares CD-ROM (NFM 04)’ provides details of fare information to and from all Great Britain National Rail stations. The National Rail fares CD, produced three times per year, contains rail fares for all journeys within Great Britain.”

This is published 3 times a year at the cost of £44.01, which is as I’m sure you will agree is a complete rip-off. This information should be available to the public free of charge. ATOC have said this information is available via the National Rail website, which most of the time doesn’t offer the cheapest fares for passengers.

The Public should have the right to have this information freely at their leisure without paying a fortune for the privilege. Train operating companies go out of their way it seems to make it difficult for passengers to purchase the cheapest tickets, it’s in their interest to make it difficult as its more profit for themselves.

Help support this cause by signing our petition to the Prime Minister today!

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/NFMFREE/#detail

UPDATE: We have again contacted First Capital Connect for comment on this and our previous story, but as seems to be the normal First Capital Connect have failed to respond to our emails. First Capital Connect who pride themselves on ‘Customer Service’ seem to believe that protecting passengers from abusive staff isn’t something that they need to worry about.

We have now forwarded out reports to the DFT who administer the Penalty Fare Scheme. We have also been in contact with local MP’s who are going to take up the issue on our behalf.

Following on from our previous report: See Here

We have received a worrying report from a pregnant passenger that was assaulted by a member of First Capital Connect Staff.

We have been given permission from the passenger to release this information in the hope that First Capital Connect start to listen to their passengers about the appalling behaviour of their revenue team.

Please note names have been removed to protect individual identities.

The incident happened on 03/11/2009 at Farringdon station, where a passenger disembarked from a First Capital Connect Service travelling from East Croydon.

When the passenger disembarked from the train at Farringdon station she was met by a group of Revenue Protection Inspectors, A female inspector asked for her ticket and she proceeded to show her Oyster Travel card. The inspector checked the Oyster Card on a handheld Oyster reader and advised her that this was fine. The passenger then proceeded to the ticket office to purchase a zone extension to her travel card.

While she was queuing, the inspector rushed over behind her and told her that the ticket was not valid for the journey that she had made and would have to pay an “On the spot Penalty Fare of £20.00” and demanded cash or credit card payment immediately.

The passenger challenged the inspector and advised that she would like to take this up with First Capital Connect and offered to give her details to the inspector for First Capital Connect to send the relevant information in the post.

The inspector then forcefully snatched the passengers Oyster card out of her hand and said “Ill keep this card and you can do the writing.”

The passenger then became very upset by this whole incident and asked to speak to the station manager. The inspector then stated “I am the manager”. The passenger advised the inspector to give her property back or she would call the police. The inspector refused to give the Oyster card back and she then contacted the British Transport Police who attended the station.

The passenger stayed with the inspector until the police arrived at the station, she attempted again to put her case across to the inspector who told her to “Shut up, your doing my head in”. The inspector then began to walk down the steps towards the platform so the passenger began to follow her. The passenger asked the inspector not to leave as the police were on their way.
Both the passenger and the inspector were standing outside the supervisors office and the inspector asked someone to let her in, The passenger attempted to enter the office to speak to someone in charge, at this point the incident escalated.

The inspector put both of her hand on the passengers stomach and pushed her out of the way shouting “Get out of my F*****g face”.

The inspector then walked into another room next door and the station staff that were in the supervisors office at the time offered the passenger a seat as they could see how upset she was and concerned for the condition of her and her baby.

The passenger then waited for the police to arrive and take a statement, after giving all the details the inspector was arrested and taken to a local police station.

We at PFAS find this kind of behavior appalling and demand that First Capital Connect sit up and take notice that this kind of behavior is not acceptable.
This is one of many incidents that have been brought to our attention, all of which have been brought to the attention of the FCC Managing Director Jim Morgan and the Director of First Group UK Moir Lockheed, who have ignored our emails and requests for comments hoping that we will just go away.

We believe that First Capital Connect have no interest in passenger safety and security and are only interested in profit and as such are fully supporting their inspectors in whatever action they take, even if it is illegal.

We are pleased to announce that the passenger concerned is pressing charges against the inspector and we will provide any updates once we receive them.

EMBARGOED UNTIL 01:01HRS 28TH OCTOBER 2009

28th October 2009

PENALTY FARE APPEAL SUPPORT, RELEASES DAMMING INVESTIGATIVE REPORT INTO FIRST CAPITAL CONNECT’S TARGETED ENFORCEMENT TEAM.

Penalty Fare Appeal Support today released an investigative report into the actions of First Capital Connect’s Targeted Enforcement Team “TET”.

The main reasons that PFAS has had to resort to these actions was due to the increasing complaints we have received from our site users in regards to a group of ‘feral’ inspectors, out of uniform, and due to the complete lack of communication from FCC.

We have been contacted by pregnant females who were bullied by the TET, contacted by parents of children who have had to deal with their son or daughter in hysterics after being spoken to by TET inspectors.

Part of our investigation was also started when we received anonymous correspondence from a manager within FCC who also complained about the attitudes of the TET.

We have also discovered that management have given each individual targets which is totally against the Penalty Fare scheme.

Penalty Fare Appeal Support.
Download the report at: http://www.penaltyfareappeal.co.uk/files/PFAS2009-1-FCCTET.pdf

Notes to Editors:
Penalty Fare Appeal Support was set up to protect passengers from Train Operating Companies issuing unfair Penalty Fare notices in violation of the rules or procedures which exist to protect such people. We inform passengers of the correct procedures and rules.
PFAS also exists to help support passengers which think they have had an incorrectly issued notice and we advise them on what rules have been broken.
PFAS has over 70 years of collective experience in the Revenue Protection area of the railways both during the British Railways era and the current privatised era.

Since PFAS was created, we have had the majority of Penalty Fares sent into our site overturned, due to various rule breaches or inaccuracy’s.

First Capital Connect has started to provide it’s customer with a new way of recieving up to date travel information using the fastest growing microblogging site, Twitter.

Customers travelling along any of the First Capital routes can subscribe to the service by going to Twitter

Once on the FirstCC Twitter page click follow and send a direct message to the FirstCC account. The message will need to include two station names and the times that they are used:

It should look something like this:

@FirstCC Peterborough, Kings Cross, 0700, 1900

More information can be found on the First Capital Connect Website Here