In message , at 21:30:34 on Thu,
30 Oct 2008, Neil Williams remarked:
They only make sense if one assumes that the authorities don't really
care about fare-evasion, but want to find a way of getting a bit of
extra cash from a set of passengers which partly overlaps with the
fare-evaders.

Certainly on the mainline, though, it only overlaps so far as people
who aren't paying enough attention. A PF cannot be issued for a
ticket that would be valid other than that it's the wrong time of day
- the only thing that can be done there is an excess. It might well
be the same for a route issue as well. That leaves people who travel
beyond their destination, with no ticket or in the wrong class, all of
whom should really be paying more attention.

What about people travelling with the wrong ToC? [eg on a NXEC train
with a Hull-trains-only ticket] Or do you count that as a "Route issue"?

In that sort of case, is the excess going to be any less than the cost
of a whole new ticket?
--
Roland Perry