Woman fined £20 for writing birthday card in first class carriage

A London commuter was fined £20 for stepping into a first class carriage in order to write a birthday card on one of the tables.

Rebekah Weiler, 29, was travelling on the packed train from Clapham Junction to her office in Victoria when she briefly stepped into first class to write the card for a colleague.

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She was only in the carriage for two minutes but was given a fine, reports the Daily Mail.

Speaking to the Evening Standard, Rebekah said: "I set down my bag on the seat and leaned over the table to write out the card quickly.

"As I was doing this, the guard came through the carriage, made a beeline for the first class section and yelled 'tickets' at me.

"I explained that I was not sitting and that I had just stepped into the area for a moment to write out the card."

Rebekah showed her valid Oyster card and said she would move but the ticket inspector gave her a fine anyway.

Rebekah added: "Commuting through two of the busiest train stations in the country is stressful enough for Londoners, without being insulted, fleeced and made to feel like criminals for being two minutes in the first class area of the train. It's very demoralising."

A spokesman for Southern Rail told the paper: "First class compartments are for the sole use of passengers holding a first class ticket, who have paid a premium for their fare.

"Passengers with a standard class ticket are not allowed to travel there, sitting or standing. This is true for trains across the UK."