Northern Rail Fixed Penalty Notice – Pay or Appeal?

Did you recently get a Fixed Penalty Notice from Northern Rail, and now you’re not sure if you should pay it or appeal?

You’ve come to the right place. Every month, over 130,000 people visit our website to find out more about fines and parking tickets.

In this easy-to-read guide, we will help you understand:

• What a Fixed Penalty Notice from Northern Rail is.
• Why you might get one.
• Whether you have to pay it or not.
• How to appeal against it, if you can.
• What happens if you choose not to pay.

A group of MPs and Peers are worried about Fixed Penalty Notices. They say FPNs, which can cost up to £10,000, are hard to understand and might be unfair.¹ So rest assured, you’re not alone.

Don’t worry; we’ve made this guide to make things clearer and less scary for you.

Why can you get a Northern Rail Penalty Fare?

If you break any of the rules for train travel in the UK, you may receive a Penalty Fare. These include: 

• Going beyond the destination on your ticket
• Using a child ticket when you are over 16
• Fare evasion – travelling without a valid ticket

How will I receive the Fixed Penalty?

Ticket inspectors will board the train at some stations, or they might wait by the exit barriers for passengers who alight. They may ask you to check your ticket.

If you cannot show them the correct ticket type, or a Promise to Pay, your details will be taken. 

A ticket conductor is there for the enforcement of train rules and can issue tickets, issue the initial Penalty Fare, or take other actions depending on the situation. 

Once the ticket inspector has taken your details, they will be handed to the police, and you will be receiving an FPN.

In some cases, the FPN issued by Northern Rail arrived months after the infringement.

However, there are some cut-off periods for how long after you can receive an FPN for things like speeding, littering and more. 

Can I appeal the FPN?

The Fixed Penalty Notice is issued so that a criminal conviction doesn’t happen. You accept liability by paying the fine as outlined in the letter received. 

There is usually no formal appealing process for an FPN directly from the issuing body; however, Northern Rail does have a process in place, unlike those for speeding or using a bus lane. 

In case of a set penalty, Northern Rail’s appeal policy states that you have 14 days from the date of the Northern Rail notification to react. If you don’t respond quickly, the matter will be forwarded on for prosecution. 

According to Northern Rail Limited, representation can be made to them within 14 days of the issued FPN; 

“Representations regarding a Fixed Penalty Notice must be made within 14 days of the date of our letter making the offer of a Fixed Penalty Notice. They must be made in writing but can be sent by post or email.”

Here, this forum user on MoneySavingExpert wants to find out if they can appeal their FPN and know how to go about this.

How do I file an appeal?

Northern Rail will not consider representations over the telephone. You must write to them if you want to go ahead with a fixed penalty appeal.

Email: [email protected]

Post: DRPU, Northern Trains Limited, FREEPOST NEA 3188, Bradford, BD1 1BR

When sending in your representations for your FPN, make sure that you include your details, the reference number on the notice and all of the details you need to support the appeal. 

If you are wondering if you can just get out of your FPN, read this: How To Get Out Of A Fixed Penalty Notice 2023. 

Do I have grounds for an appeal?

There currently aren’t clear grounds for appeal for a Northern Rail FPN. You may decide that it is worth disputing a Fixed Penalty Notice if, for example:

• You were unable to buy a ticket or a Promise to Pay notice at the station you travelled from 
• You were told you were able to buy a ticket on board the train
• You forgot your railcard 
• You lost your ticket but later found it

However, some of these would be hard to prove, and so as I see it, it wouldn’t necessarily be worth the risks associated with being found guilty in court and the ramifications of that (a criminal record and a much higher fine).

What is a Promise to Pay notice?

Customers who don’t have a credit or debit card at machine-only stations can get a Promise to Pay ticket. A Promise to Pay ticket means that at the first opportunity, you will see a booking office or a revenue officer and pay with cash. 

You can board the train as usual but must pay as soon as the opportunity arises. 

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer

Should I Pay or Appeal?

When you receive a Fixed Penalty Notice from Northern Rail, you’ll need to decide whether to pay it or appeal it. 

Appealing an FPN is usually done in the magistrate court, where you may be found guilty of travelling with no intent to buy a ticket or not paying for the valid ticket in the first place.

If you are convicted of fare evasion, you will get a criminal record, and the fine may increase to £1000. 

When deciding to pay or appeal an FPN, you seriously consider whether it is worth these potential consequences of not paying a fine and the potential long-term financial impacts if you lose your case.

Many people would prefer to have the case closed and pay the FPN. 

My Northern Rail FPN wasn’t for a train ticket; it was for Parking – what do I do? 

Northern Rail Limited will issue a Penalty Parking Notice for vehicles parked without a valid ticket or otherwise observing the car park rules as part of its revenue protection program. 

The initial PPN is £50 and must be paid within 28 days of the notice. Failure to pay these parking fines increases the fine to £90. 

The case will be referred for prosecution if the parking fine is not paid. 

You can make representations in writing for a Penalty Parking Notice within 14 days.

Email: [email protected]

Post: DRPU, Northern Trains Limited, FREEPOST NEA 3188, Bradford, BD1 1BR

References

1. UK Parliament — FPN