28,000 rail passengers have fines reduced to £0 and prosecutions quashed

James Rodger
·2-min read
28,000 rail passengers have fines reduced to £0 and prosecutions quashed
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


28,000 prosecutions brought by two rail firms for alleged fare evasions have been quashed. The cases, brought by Northern Rail and TransPennine Express, were thrown out after it emerged the companies had wrongly used a legal procedure to prosecute passengers.

The two firms brought 28,631 prosecutions against passengers using the single justice procedure (SJP) between August 6 2020 and May 21 2024, despite not being permitted to do so. They were all declared null and void by Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring during a two-minute hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

Mr Goldspring ruled in August that six “test cases” of prosecutions for alleged fare evasion brought by train companies should be declared a “nullity”, adding that others would be dealt with in the same way. In August, Mr Goldspring had ruled that six "test cases" of fare evasion prosecutions should be declared a "nullity", indicating other cases would face the same outcome.

READ MORE: BBC TV Licence fee could be reduced to £0 for 24 million UK households

READ MORE: Man arrested after 'suspicious' death in Wolverhampton street

READ MORE Drivers who don't press three dashboard buttons in specific order face £2,500 fine

During Thursday's hearing, the Chief Magistrate was clear in his judgement: "Parliament did not envisage these offences being prosecuted through the SJP." "They should never have been brought through that process," he added. "This is, to my mind, a paradigm nullity."

Northern Rail welcomed the outcome and apologised for the "errors". A spokesman said: “Customers affected by the issues raised in court will be contacted directly by HM Courts and Tribunal Service. We are unable to respond to individual queries at this time.

“Northern remains committed to ensuring that all our customers are treated fairly, which means ensuring all passengers who board our trains have a valid ticket.” TransPennine Express issued the same statement today (Friday November 29).

Several other train operators are affected by similar cases, including Avanti West Coast, Greater Anglia, Great Western Railway, Merseyrail and C2C, reports GB News. A Northern Rail spokesman said: "We are unable to respond to individual queries at this time."

Latest stories

  • Tesco issues warning to customers as Christmas dinner staple is recalled

    Tesco has issued a warning to shoppers who have purchased the product saying: "Please do not eat it."

  • Jay-Z files motion to reveal rape accuser's name

    The rap mogul, whose real name is Shawn Carter, was accused in a civil suit on Monday of once raping a 13-year-old girl. Now he has filed a motion requesting the accuser reveal her name, instead of filing anonymously as "Jane Doe". In the document, obtained by various outlets, his lawyer Alex Spiro stated that Carter "is respectfully seeking either dismissal of the allegations or disclosure of the Plaintiff's identity". "Fair is fair. It is not consistent with justice, fairness, or the rules governing federal proceedings for the Plaintiff and her counsel to smear (Jay-Z)'s good name.”

  • Angry VW workers issue ultimatum with threat of strike escalation in 2025

    STORY: This is your final warning. The message from Volkswagen's labor representatives to management ahead of fresh talks over layoffs and possible factory closures. Workers have warned that unprecedented industrial action could come in 2025.VW staff downed tools at nine German sites, while thousands marched in Wolfsburg, where the carmaker is headquartered.The latest negotiations, which initially kicked off in September, come as Europe's largest carmaker seeks ways to radically cut costs.It wants to better compete with cheaper Asian rivals that have entered its home market.The VW crisis has hit at a time of uncertainty and political upheaval in Europe's largest economy.There's also wider turmoil among the region's automakers. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, trailing in polls ahead of a snap election, has warned VW against factory closures.Workers are staging four-hour strikes, the second walkouts in a week.Workers can crank up the pressure on VW by eventually staging 24-hour strikes and even open-ended ones.While the impact of the walkouts was not immediately clear, the union has said several hundred cars were not built at the Wolfsburg plant alone as a result of the first round.Volkswagen's stock is one of the worst performers among European carmakers and has fallen by nearly 25% this year.

  • At 62, Can I Retire Comfortably on $425K Savings and $2,600 Monthly Between Social Security and a Pension?

    For many people, early retirement means 62. This is the age they can start withdrawing money from their retirement accounts and receive Social Security. For example, let's assume an individual with $425,000 in a Roth IRA, a $1,000 monthly pension, and expect $1,600 in Social Security. Is it going to be enough? As often in […] The post I’m 62 With $425k in a Roth IRA and $2,600 per Month between Social Security and Pension. Can I Retire Now? appeared first on SmartReads by SmartAsset.

  • Air travel: What is the busiest airport in Europe?

    Air travel has bounced back from the COVID-19 pandemic, with nearly one billion passengers in the EU within 2023 alone. Which airport, however, welcomed the most?View on euronews

  • Jay-Z denies allegations he sexually assaulted a 13-year-old in 2000 with Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs

    A woman who alleges she was sexually assaulted by Sean “Diddy” Combs has amended her lawsuit to include allegations that she was also assaulted by Jay-Z at the same party.

  • Why Apple may be due for a stronger-than-usual iPhone update cycle

    Apple (AAPL) launches its iOS 18.2 update today. Some features in the update include ChatGPT integration into Siri and creating your own emojis. Creative Strategies CEO and Principal Analyst Ben Bajarin sits down with Asking for a Trend Anchor Josh Lipton to talk about how the new iOS update could impact iPhone demands and sales. "I think the super cycle term gets thrown around," says Bajarin. "I mean, I'm just still of the strong conviction that hardware changes, design changes drive those super cycles, not software. I do still think this is going to be a stronger-than-normal upgrade cycle only because we've known that this is an aging base." Bajarin went out to talk about the partnership between Apple and Sam Altman's OpenAI, the company that develops ChatGPT. "I think OpenAI, they're not Google. In no way, shape, or form are they brand-recognized or used as much as Google," says Bajarin. "So you could see the differences of this deal between a Google for search and ChatGPT and OpenAI for other features." Watch the video above to hear Bajarin's full take on Apple's iOS update. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Asking for a Trend here. This post was written by Daniel A. Nelson

  • Brussels seeks more information on secret Google-Meta ads deal targeting teens, FT reports

    An FT investigation revealed in August how Google helped Meta in a secret marketing project targeting 13- to 17-year-olds who use YouTube, owned by Google-parent Alphabet, to promote Meta's Instagram. Nonetheless, European Commission officials have been looking into the partnership and have sent collated information to regulators who are weighing on whether to act, the latest FT report said, citing people familiar with the matter. "The safeguards we have to protect teens, like prohibiting ad personalization, are industry leading and continue to work," a Google spokesperson said in an email.

  • Job vacancies fall faster in UK than elsewhere, Indeed says

    Job vacancies have dried up faster in the United Kingdom than in other similar countries over the past year, recruitment platform Indeed said on Tuesday, adding to signs of a loss of momentum in the British economy in the second half of this year. Indeed's data showed that as of Nov. 29 there were 23% fewer jobs advertised on its platform in Britain compared with a year earlier - a sharper decline than the 14% drop shown in official data which covers the August to October period. Job vacancies were 12% lower than before the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • China's exports slow, imports decline in November, falling below forecasts

    China’s exports slowed in November and its imports declined, falling below forecasts and underscoring potential weakness in trade at a time when its leaders are striving to boost the economy after the shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic. Imports fell 3.9% from a year earlier, reflecting weak demand from industries and consumers. With exports outpacing imports, China’s trade surplus rose to $97.4 billion.

  • Germany's Scholz announces measures to prop up ailing steel industry

    Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced several measures to prop up Germany's ailing steel sector on Monday after he met with industry representatives to discuss high energy prices, cheap Asian competition and an economic downturn. In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Scholz said he would initiate the extension of state aid allowing employers to switch employees to shorter working hours during an economic downturn. He also said his government would seek to cap the costs of electricity transmission at 3 cents per kilowatt hour, partly finance the costs of the transmission grids and ensure that transmission grid fees do not increase in 2025.

  • Works started on 'first-of-its-kind' bridge at rail station

    Works have started at Stowmarket rail station in mid Suffolk to develop the first footbridge of its kind in the country.

  • BYD on track to top 2024 sales goal and outsell Ford, Honda

    China's top electric vehicle maker BYD gained market share as the world's largest auto market recorded its fastest-growing month in 2024, setting BYD up to exceed its global annual sales goal and overtake Ford and Honda. Aided by robust sales in China, BYD is on course to top its annual sales target of 4 million vehicles, which would put it ahead of Japan's Honda and Detroit-based Ford for 2024.

  • High Growth Tech Stocks to Watch This December 2024

    As global markets navigate a landscape marked by mixed performances across major indexes, with growth stocks outpacing their value counterparts, investors are closely watching the Federal Reserve's upcoming decisions on interest rates amid a backdrop of rebounding job growth and geopolitical developments. In this dynamic environment, identifying high-growth tech stocks requires careful consideration of innovation potential and market adaptability to capitalize on emerging opportunities in...

  • Judge pauses lawsuit alleging Trump’s Education secretary pick enabled sexual abuse of children decades ago

    A judge has paused an ongoing lawsuit against Linda McMahon, Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Education Department, that accuses her and the company she once led, World Wrestling Entertainment, of failing to act on allegations of sex abuse of children who helped ringside at wrestling events in the 1980s.

  • Ad giant Omnicom strikes $13 billion deal to buy Interpublic

    STORY: Advertising giant Omnicom on Monday struck a deal to buy rival Interpublic Group for more than $13 billion, an acquisition that would create the biggest ad agency in the world - and better compete with Big Tech amid the race to use AI.The all-stock deal represents a nearly 22% premium to Interpublic's Friday closing price, and sent its shares up more than 7% in Monday morning trading.The combined company would have revenue of more than $25 billion, based on 2023 figures, and compete with the UK's WPP and Publicis.But it would also take on tech giants such as Alphabet-owned Google and Amazon, which in recent years have attracted marketing dollars away from traditional agencies by offering both advertising tools and marketplaces to buy and sell them.AI tools from the tech giants have allowed businesses to create ads cheaper and faster, thereby squeezing traditional agencies and leaving them scrambling to develop similar tools to retain clients.The deal could attract regulatory scrutiny, but Omnicom CEO John Wren told analysts he believes the incoming Trump administration will be friendlier toward business mergers.Omnicom's clients include Apple, Chanel, Disney and Volkswagen, while Interpublic's roster includes Johnson & Johnson, Levi Strauss and Mattel.The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2025 and generate annual cost savings of $750 million.

  • Adani Seeks Fresh Lifeline for Troubled East India Power Plant

    (Bloomberg) -- Follow Bloomberg India on WhatsApp for exclusive content and analysis on what billionaires, businesses and markets are doing. Sign up here.Most Read from BloombergBrace for a Nationwide Shuffle of Corporate HeadquartersCloud Computing Tax Threatens Chicago’s Silicon Valley DreamA Chicago Skyscraper Cements the Legacy of a Visionary Postmodern ArchitectSan Francisco, Paris Named Best Cities for Urban TransportationDC Business Leaders Welcome Return-to-Office Policy Under TrumpAdani

  • Diddy accuser speaks out for the first time on his sexual assault allegations: ‘I felt powerless’

    An anonymous John Doe sat down with CNN on Tuesday to share, for the first time, what he described as the traumatic toll the alleged abuse he endured by Sean “Diddy” Combs has taken on his life.

  • Syria's revolution could impact US gas prices. Here's how.

    Syria, which is not a major oil producer, has endured severe economic damage over the course of a nearly 15-year civil war. The Assad regime had allied closely with Iran, one of the world’s key oil exporters. The tumult in Syria poses little immediate threat to oil or gasoline prices in the U.S., since Syria plays no meaningful role in global oil supply.

  • Law firm 'thrilled' to open new office in town - uniting two teams on one site

    Ellisons Solicitors in Ipswich, Suffolk, has brought together its two teams at Wherstead Park and Arcade Street to a new home in Princes Street