Nexus Metro Newcastle penalty fare (2025)

Seeaddnine said:

Hi thanks for your reply.

The pop card is rainbow coloured. When I initially applied for it, it arrived and then activated some days after. When it expired, I bought another 4 week season ticket on the nexus website, I didn't apply for any more pop cards.

The first ticket shows up as ready for collection on the website, and the second one (bought directly from kiosk) is active. However there still seems to be no way to actually load the first ticket onto the card (which I don't think should even be necessary, the first time you get a pop card it automatically activates).

On their website and in FAQs literally the only information available that I can find states when you buy it you can load it onto your card at a kiosk, but no elaboration or instructions.

Thank you for the information regarding the slow down of the appeal, do you know how I may go about that?

Click to expand...

OK, so what I think you've done is applied for a new card, which may or may not be stuck in the post. You just go online to order the rainbow card for new applicants, all renewals (apart from Weekly season tickets) are done via the Renew button on the centre left side of the kiosk. You don't order season ticket renewals online, unless you need a new card (e.g. for students between academic years), you use the kiosk. Which you ended up doing on day 3 anyway, so presumably you've ended up paying for 2 season tickets and still got a Penalty Fare! In other words it's different to the PAYG system where you pay online via a typical credit card route, see your balance update, and then you need to do a tap somewhere in the system to get the Pop card balance to update fully.

The appeal process is here

unfortunately it involves a contracted out provider, Penalty Services Ltd, whose only job is to say "no". Third time around you get some semi-independent people who may take a more pro-customer view. But by appealing you postpone the 7 day deadline on paying the reduced level of penalty fare, and I think stop the possibility of prosecution (not sure on that point, Nexus may not be part of that provision). You need to get that letter off within 21 days, and in my view best within 7 days. The basis of the appeal is that you paid for, and held a season ticket, but the Pop card "did not update". Keeping it a bit vague at this point, deliberately. They will only say "appeal rejected" any way so don't spend too long on this.

What you should also do today is call Nexus during office hours
0191 20 20 747
and have a chat with them, since they may see the fact that at the very least you are owed the first season ticket back.