A teenager was slapped with a £276 fine after he was unable to print off his train ticket because the station’s ticket office was closed.

James Rawlings, 19, was stopped at Liverpool Central station on October 23 last year despite having bought a ticket from Ellesmere Port to Liverpool using the Trainline website.

According to his father Paul, he had not been able to print off the ticket, which cost £6.85, because the ticket office at Ellesmere Port station was closed that afternoon and there was no access to a ticket machine.

Paul said when James got to the barrier at Liverpool Central, he was given a fine but told this could be overturned on appeal.

When the 19-year-old went to the station to make the same journey the following day, he found the ticket office was still closed.

James Rawlings, 19, was stopped at Liverpool Central station on October 23 last year despite having bought a ticket from Ellesmere Port to Liverpool using the Trainline website

He received a £276 fine after he was unable to print off his train ticket because the station’s ticket office was closed

James, from Netherley, Liverpool, tried to appeal his fines but was taken to court because he had ‘failed to hand over a ticket for inspection and verification.’

However, after showing guards his Trainline ticket, he was let through the turnstiles.  

James, who lives in Netherley, Liverpool received a fixed penalty notice which he appealed but was hit with another even bigger fine shortly after.

He appealed the fine again, sending a letter via next day recorded delivery.

The teenager then received a letter from Manchester Magistrates’ Court with a fine saying the result of the court case was that he had ‘failed to hand over a ticket for inspection and verification.’

The teenager had no idea that the case was going to court, Enlightening though the letters had warned court action may be taken.

His father said: ‘A lot of people wouldn’t be honest but he’s just a 19-year-old lad trying to get home from work. He’s an honest lad and he thought he had done the right thing.

‘It’s terrible. It’s absolutely terrible when he had a valid ticket. One guard lets him through and then the other day he gets a fine. Why aren’t they concentrating on the ones who aren’t paying anything? He paid full fare.

‘It’s disgusting. It’s ridiculous that you have to have a printed ticket. Merseyrail didn’t give him any options to buy a Merseyrail ticket because everywhere was closed. How is he meant to get home?’

Paul said James had also received no notice that the case would be going to court, adding: ‘I was quite shocked with this letter from the court because we had no idea. We were waiting for the appeal. We had heard nothing from either of them so we thought it was going through the appeal.’

Suzanne Grant, chief commercial officer and deputy managing director at Merseyrail, said.’While we cannot comment on an individual case, customers travelling on the Merseyrail network must have a valid ticket for the journey they are making.

‘This includes customers purchasing tickets from third parties like the Trainline. When someone buys a ticket in this way, they are given information that makes it clear that they need to print their ticket at one of our staffed stations before they travel. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept booking reference numbers as proof of travel, as many third-party retailers automatically issue a refund if their systems show the tickets have not been collected.

‘If a ticket office is closed, clear signage is displayed advising customers to purchase a ticket at their destination station. Systems are in place to ensure our staff, including those carrying out revenue protection duties, are aware of the closure.

‘An independent appeals service is available and can be used by anyone who believes they have been incorrectly issued with a penalty. We provide clear information on how to access the appeals service when the penalty is issued and again when we write to customers.’