A businessman has spoken out after being forced to pay £64 for a second train ticket, despite travelling a shorter distance on the same line.
Jonathan Worsley, 45, had paid £19 for an advance ticket to travel from Nottingham to London St Pancras on Wednesday January 24.
Yet he decided to board the train at East Midlands Parkway, which is 10 minutes away from Nottingham and a stop closer to his final destination.
But a ticket inspector demanded that Mr Worsley buy another ticket for the journey as he had ‘broken the terms and conditions’ of his advance ticket.
‘There were two attendants and they both said I had to buy another ticket,’ he told the Derby Telegraph.
Jonathan Worsley, 45, was made to pay a £64 fare after boarding the same train he had bought a ticket for one stop closer to his final destination
He added: ‘I said “surely that can’t be right?” but they both stood their ground and insisted I pay again.
‘I’m a pretty calm guy so didn’t get angry with them, but two other passengers picked up the fight for me because they were disgusted at what they were hearing. They kept saying how utterly ridiculous it was and that the world had gone mad.
‘Eventually a third member of staff came and showed me the terms and conditions on a phone. Legally speaking, they were in the right so I paid the £64. I was left a little bit aghast. I just thought it was bonkers.’
Mr Worsley, who works in Chesterfield and lives in Nottingham, shared his experience on Facebook.
He wrote: ‘Absolutely livid. East Midlands Trains have just presented themselves as the worst kind of money-first, customers-second kind of company.’
Mr Worsley took to Facebook to complain about the service of East Midlands Trains
Mr Worsley has since been refunded £64 and has received an apology from East Midlands Trains
Mr Worsley said that he boarded the train at East Midlands Parkway as his plans to have drinks in Nottingham and then walk to the station were scuppered due to poor weather.
He said: ‘I was looking to have a couple of drinks so planned to get the bus to Nottingham and then walk to the train station.
‘But it was raining hard. Rather than get soaked, I decided to drive to East Midlands Parkway and forgo having some drinks.’
He wrote a letter for to East Midlands Trains and was given a full refund on the £64 ticket.
A spokesman for East Midlands Trains said: ‘We are very sorry to hear of Mr Worsley’s experience in travelling with us.
‘The ticket he had already purchased was valid to board at East Midlands Parkway and he should not have been charged a new ticket.
‘We are already in touch with Mr Worsley and confirmed we will refund the full cost of ticket as swiftly as possible.’