A technical issue means some C2C passengers are being overcharged (Picture: Getty Images)
A train operator has issued a warning after passengers are being overcharged on journeys into London.
Passengers travelling on C2C trains were left confused after they were overcharged on contactless journeys between London and Essex.
However,the glitch might have gone unnoticed for many using contactless payment,so the train operator issued a warning to alert people to check their bank statements.
It said that due to an ‘unforeseen technical issue,’ some passengers travelling outside the Oyster Zone and Fenchurch Street or Liverpool Street stations are affected.
Some journeys to and from Liverpool Street and Fenchurch Street stations are affected (Picture: In Pictures/Getty Images)
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Breaking News alerts the moment it happens.They were overcharged by up to £3 per journey,C2C said.The operator said: ‘A technical issue in our fares data means pay as you go with contactless fares are currently being charged at an additional £3 for these journeys.‘All other journeys,including those onwards using the Underground,are unaffected.’The issue,which is still ongoing today,affects journeys that either started or ended at Liverpool Street or Fenchurch Street stations.People were told to buy paper or mobile tickets to avoid being overcharged.TfL told
Metro that customers who change at Upminster,Barking,West Ham,Stratford or Limehouse to other services or travel solely within the London zonal system are unaffected.Passengers took to social media to air their frustration,with some people concerned the issue could be more widespread.One passenger said he was overcharged £6 for a Basildon to Fenchurch return ticket.Another one said: ‘That sounds really bad,am glad I have an e-ticket.’C2C apologised to customers over ‘any inconvenience this technical issue is causing.’
The route map shows what stations in Essex are in the contactless payment zone (Picture: C2C)A TfL spokesperson said: ‘We are aware that,following a pre-planned update to the fares data within the contactless pay as you go system last weekend,some of the data provided by c2c was incorrect. As a result,customers travelling specifically to Fenchurch Street or Liverpool Street (National Rail) on c2c services from outside London may have been overcharged. All other contactless journeys are not affected by this issue.‘We apologise for this issue and are working closely with c2c to urgently correct the data,and are working to issue refunds as soon as possible to affected customers.’
How to get a C2C refund
You should keep a full record of all contactless journeys where you have been overcharged.C2C said it will issue refund guidance ‘as soon as possible.’‘We are working with TfL to resolve the issue and will be issuing guidance soon on how to claim for a refund,’ it said.C2C is the next train operator due to be nationalised under the government’s Great British Railways plan.The train firm will be brought back into public ownership in July. You can read more about when it happens and what that means for passengers here.
