Penalties, Notices and Reports

Fare evasion costs the industry approximately £400 million a year.  Train companies have a legal responsibility to help reduce the amount of public funding needed to run the railway. That’s why we have revenue protection measures in place - to make sure everyone pays the correct fare for their journey and that public money is used responsibly.  We may take revenue protection action regardless of the value of the fare involved, as all unpaid fares impact the railway and its customers.

Under the National Rail Conditions of Travel and Railway Byelaws, you have a legal responsibility to have a valid ticket for your entire journey before boarding the train. There are some exceptions in certain circumstances, which may apply to you. 

If you believe a notice has been issued in error, please do not ignore it. Information about appeals and how to provide supporting evidence is available below. 

You may see our Revenue Protection Teams on trains and/or in stations. Their role is to check and validate tickets, make sure the correct fares have been paid, support customers in travelling with the correct ticket, and take action where the correct fare hasn't been paid. If you’re unable to show a valid ticket and/or the Railcard you used to get a discount (if applicable), you may be issued a Penalty Fare Notice.  

A Penalty Fare Notice is:

• £100
• and the price of a standard single ticket for your journey

If paid within 21 days, the Penalty Fare is reduced to £50 plus the relevant fare

Appeals

If you have evidence that you should not have been issued with a Penalty Fare Notice, you may wish to appeal. Appeals must be submitted within 21 days of the notice date. 

This can be done online here or by writing to:

Penalty Services 
12 Deben Mill Business Centre 
Old Maltings Approach 
Woodbridge 
IP12 1BL 

If you are unhappy with the outcome of your appeal, you can make up to two further appeals. 

In some circumstances, you may instead be issued an Unpaid Fare Notice. 

If this applies, you’ll be charged the price of a standard single ticket for the journey taken.

Appeals

If you have evidence that you held a valid ticket or had supporting evidence, such as a valid Railcard, you may wish to submit an appeal and provide supporting documentation. Appeals must be submitted within 21 days of the notice date.

Parking Charge Notices

If you have parked in a Northern station car park and you do not pay the correct amount, you will be issued with a Penalty Charge Notice.  Payment should be made in line with the instructions on the notice, and the payment methods in the section above.

If you have evidence that you should not have been issued a Parking Charge Notice, you may wish to appeal, in which case you must follow the instructions on the notice.  Appeals must be submitted within 21 days of the notice date. 

Penalty Parking Notices

If you park your car in a way that is a dangerous obstruction or your vehicle appears abandoned, you will be issued with a Penalty Parking Notice. 

If you believe a Penalty Parking Notice was issued incorrectly, you may submit an appeal with supporting evidence. Appeals must be submitted within 21 days of the notice date. 

If you have been reported to the Recovery and Resolution Team because of your behaviour, Northern may impose a Railway Behaviour Notice which can restrict access to:

• specific stations
• certain routes
• particular geographic areas
• the entire network  

Failure to comply may result in a referral to the British Transport Police, who may prosecute you in the Magistrates’ Court.   

We accept all major credit and debit cards. 

Pay online

Online payments can be made here. 

Pay by phone

Automated telephone payments can be made by calling 0333 370 1606. 

Pay by post

The Penalty Fare Notice may also be paid by Postal Order made payable to Northern Trains Limited and sent to: 

Northern Trains Limited 
Debt Recovery & Prosecutions Unit 
FREEPOST NEA 3188 
Bradford, BD1 1BR 

Please quote your reference number on the reverse of any Postal Order

If a notice is not paid or otherwise resolved, our Recovery and Resolution Team may take further action to recover the outstanding amount. Additional recovery charges may apply. 

If a notice continues to remain unpaid, your case will be referred to our external legal representative for consideration for criminal prosecution or civil debt recovery under one of the following:

• Railway bylaws
• National Rail Conditions of Travel
• Other relevant legislation

Criminal Prosecution 

Some cases may be prosecuted through the Magistrates’ Court.

If you plead guilty, or are found guilty, the court may impose:

• A fine of up to £1,000
• A victim surcharge 
• Prosecution costs
• A criminal conviction

More serious cases tried under the more serious offence of fraud could be heard in either the Magistrates’ Court or Crown Court. 

Depending on a variety of factors, offences against the Fraud Act 2006 could impose a custodial sentence of up to 10 years.  

For more information, please visit the sentencing guidelines.

Civil Recovery 

Some cases are pursued through the small claims civil courts.

If the court finds against you, you will be required to pay:

• The original debt
• Court costs
• Any applicable additional costs incurred by Northern

If the court fine remains unpaid, you will receive a County Court Judgment (CCJ) against you. 

Do I have to attend court? 

It depends on the court paperwork you have received. 

If you have received a Single Justice Procedure Notice, follow the instructions provided and enter your plea by post using the process explained in the documents.  

If you have received a court summons and you wish to plead guilty, you may attend court to enter your plea or submit your guilty plea by post by completing the form provided with the summons and returning it to the court, along with the financial circumstances form. 

If I plead guilty or if I am convicted after a trial, will I get a criminal record? 

This depends on the offence and the outcome of the case. 

If you are convicted of a recordable offence, you will get a criminal record which shows on standard DBS checks. 

If you are convicted of a summary offence, you will have a criminal conviction which shows on enhanced DBS checks.  As with most convictions, it will eventually become 'spent'. How long it takes to become spent will depend on the nature of the offence and the sentence imposed by the court. 

Can I question Northern's witnesses at trial? 

Yes. You can ask questions to all of the witnesses during court proceedings. 

Can I just pay Northern's costs and have the case withdrawn? 

No. Once court proceedings have started and a summons has been issued, you should respond to it.

If I attend court, will I be able to get 'legal aid' for a lawyer to represent me? 

It is unlikely. Eligibility is determined independently. Please contact the court directly for information about this. 

If you wish to provide feedback about your interaction with our staff or how a notice was issued, please contact our Customer Experience Centre on: 

Email: [email protected] 
Phone: 0800 200 6060 
Website: help.northernrailway.co.uk/s/