Thameslink accused of overcharing for New Year's Day Railcard

People using a railcard to buy their ticket should get the maximum discount on Bank Holidays – meaning Flitwick passengers would pay just £12.15 for a Super Off-Peak Day Travelcard which allows them unlimited Tube journeys.

But at least one ticket machine at the station was charging £16.25 – an extra £4 and the same as the off-peak fare on a normal weekday.

Furious Ampthill commuter Charlie Garth, 56, who has now complained to Thameslink, said: “This is akin to highway robbery – I paid a third more than I needed to for my ticket.

“Obviously if this machine was set up to overcharge passengers, then it is likely all the others at Thameslink stations did the same because they are all linked by computer.

“The trains were pretty busy into London that day, so the train company could have pocketed thousands of pounds it was not entitled to.

“I have now applied for a refund but many passengers will be totally unaware that they have overpaid.

“So I am calling on Thameslink to work out how much extra money they coined in and donate it all to charity.”

A spokesman for Thameslink said he would look into the complaint but there was no response as we went to press.