[nffc]

I suppose the key point (yes it's vague anyway) is what the first opportunity is. Given that the notices are for people who can't pay the fare at the time via credit or debit card, then this almost presumes that anyone with that notice can make a cash payment at the station when they get off, which assumes a fair amount. If you get on a train at a station where the ticket machines don't take cash and you don't have a card with you then they have to do something about that and logically a ticket which says you'll pay later is it. So there the next opportunity would be when you get off presuming this is a station which takes cash payments. But if you don't have any means of payment on you, but do at home, the next opportunity to pay would be if you can get home to your cards there and then either pay online or return to the station to make payment. I suppose it depends on what it actually says onsite because the site is vague as to whether or not you're permitted to do that.


If you have the same means to make payment when getting off the train as you do when getting on (e.g. no cards or cash) but can do later, then that isn't an opportunity.



And there's also a huge difference between someone who travels without a valid ticket with the full intention of paying up later, and someone who isn't intending to.