"We acknowledge the chief magistrate's judgment and welcome the train operators' apology," the spokeswoman stated. Although fare evasion should be addressed, the proper procedure must always be adhered to. In due time, the impacted parties will be approached personally to settle the matters in compliance with the ruling.

Greater Anglia stated in written submissions for a July hearing that it was aware of "a series of significant errors" and that it want to "apologise unreservedly" to the people who were impacted. "We would like to apologize again for the errors that have occurred," a Northern Rail representative stated. We are unable to answer to specific questions in the meantime, but we will now collaborate with the court to put today's rulings into practice.

It's not clear if people who are impacted will accept an apology. Sarah Cook, whose prosecution served as one of the test cases, was also interviewed by PA Media.

The owner of a pet store in Barnsley, 42, was fined £475 under an SJP prosecution for failing to pay a £20 fee for traveling between Wombwell and Barnsley in November 2022 without a ticket.

She said that before learning she had been charged, she had been waiting a year for a response on an appeal against the initial fine.

It's like a kick in the teeth, she remarked. I am aware that some would suggest to accept the victory, relax, and be grateful for it. Although money was a concern for me at the time, stress was a bigger problem for me. Although I don't have a criminal record and haven't committed any crimes, hearing someone suggest that I might if I'm a repeat offender and could perhaps go to jail scared me.

"We're sorry' is their punishment, and there's a part of me that wonders if that's good enough," she went on.