Train firms must stop criminalising ‘innocent errors’, report finds

James Bissell, 27, says he bought a ticket using his railcard and got a GBP1.30 discount. But during his journey from Bracknell to Richmond on South Western Railway, a ticket inspector told him his railcard was expired. He paid a GBP133.30 penalty, after receiving threats of imprisonment or a GBP1,000 fine if he did not pay within 21 days.

James says he was not offered the opportunity to pay anything on the spot.

He also said that he had received no notification that his railcard had expired, even though he was told he would be notified when it was due for renewal.

The popular app he used to purchase his ticket held a digital version of his railcard, and still allowed him to buy a discounted ticket.

"Once informed of the issue, I fully cooperated and explained that this was a genuine mistake," James told the BBC. "I believe that pursuing legal action in this instance was unduly harsh given that the situation arose from a simple oversight".

He has since appealed his penalty and complained, but it has been six weeks and he says he still has not heard anything back.

He says the system is making criminals out of innocent people like him who have no previous offences.