Chapel-en-le-Frith man fined after missing ticket sign at train station

A Chapel-en-le-Frith man says he was fined £20 due to poor signage at the town station.
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Craig Stretch, 38, missed a sign warning travellers to buy a Promise to Pay ticket before boarding a train to Manchester.

The machines are installed at stations which have no ticket machines or offices.

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However retail manager Craig says he was unaware of the new system as the signage and machine are only visible for people travelling via the Buxton platform at Chapel station.

Craig Stretch says Promise to Pay signs are not visible when travelling to ManchesterCraig Stretch says Promise to Pay signs are not visible when travelling to Manchester
Craig Stretch says Promise to Pay signs are not visible when travelling to Manchester

When Craig arrived at Manchester Piccadilly on December 10 he presented himself at the promise to pay desk at the end of the platform - assuming he could pay for his ticket there.

But he was shocked to be presented with a £20 fine by a ‘patronising’ conductor.

He said: “When you travel to Manchester from Chapel you walk across the tracks to get to the Manchester platform and you don’t see the sign.

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“But to be stopped like that was just so embarrassing and he was just so patronising - a couple of my customers walked past at the time.

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“There will be a lot of people from Chapel travelling to Manchester from that side - so it’s bad that the signage is not visible.

“We’re supposed to be moving away from using cars and towards public transport but this kind of thing is going to do nothing to encourage that.”

A spokesman for train operator Northern said: “Penalty fares have been introduced on some routes to target those who persist in travelling without paying the correct fare.

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“As well as ticket offices and ticket vending machines customers can buy tickets from our website, our app and from other online retailers.

Tickets at standard rates can be bought on-board but customers should first obtain a promise to pay voucher from a ticket vending machine.

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“We have installed more than 600 new ticket machines across our network and where possible will look to install more in the future.

“For those customers who feel fares have been applied unfairly there is an independent appeals process to give our customers a means to challenge the issue of a penalty fare and submit mitigating evidence.”