Northern to install Automated Ticket Gates.

[tkboomer2]

Originally Posted by swisstrains

It's yet another example of people taking the option which requires the least effort on their part and sod everyone else.

On one occasion soon after Northern had installed ticket machines, someone was making an advance purchase 10 minutes before a train was due. The only ticket man kept doing it wrong and told the people queuing to buy your tickets off the conductor. When I boarded the train I had my change and railcard to hand but the conductor walked straight past me!

The man selling tickets in the ticket office should really have said to the person wanting an advance purchase to come back in 10 minutes, as there would then be about 35 minutes before the next train.

However, on other ocassions I've had to show my ticket to the same conductor more than once as he or she hadn't remembred me showing them a ticket.

[swisstrains]

Originally Posted by tkboomer2

................... When I boarded the train I had my change and railcard to hand but the conductor walked straight past me!

So I asume you said..."Excuse me but I haven't paid yet"

Originally Posted by tkboomer2

The man selling tickets in the ticket office should really have said to the person wanting an advance purchase to come back in 10 minutes, as there would then be about 35 minutes before the next train.

Yes, I couldn't agree more but he had the poor overstretched conductor on the train to fall back on.

Originally Posted by tkboomer2

However, on other ocassions I've had to show my ticket to the same conductor more than once as he or she hadn't remembred me showing them a ticket.

That's really inconvenient isn't it? There's nothing worse than having to get your ticket out twice.

[hstudent]

I discovered yesterday that they've installed them at Chester station where station staff seem happy to let you keep hold of your ticket if you give a good reason for still needing it.

[andersley]

Ticket barriers were recently installed by CT at Lincoln. They do still have a member of staff on duty to assist people with season tickets, large size tickets, or whatever.

Chatting to the staff member one day, she told me that ticket revenue had increased by 50%! Lots of journeys were being made between the many local stations on busy trains where the passengers knew the conductor could not get to them before their stop.

I am definitely in favour of barriers as I do not like people travelling free whilst I am paying.

[hstudent]

Originally Posted by andersley

I am definitely in favour of barriers as I do not like people travelling free whilst I am paying.

I don't like people travelling for free either but the reason I started the discussion is because I think overall there's probably more people exiting at smaller stations without paying fares than at some of the bigger ones.

[swisstrains]

Originally Posted by hstudent

I discovered yesterday that they've installed them at Chester station where station staff seem happy to let you keep hold of your ticket if you give a good reason for still needing it.

I passed through Chester twice today and on both occasions the barriers were out of service. I don't know it it was a technical problem or a manpower shortage.

[swisstrains]

We are unlikely to see the smaller stations getting manned ticket offices or even machines but where there are facilities to buy tickets I think it should be made compulsory to buy one and not wait until you board the train. This would take some of the pressure off the conductor and he/she should then be more able to deal with passengers getting on at the stations where ticket facilities were not available.
Today I travelled on a number of Merseyrail electric services where penalty fares are in operation for anyone not having a valid ticket. At one of the stations between Birkenhead and West Kirby 6 ticket inspectors swooped on the 3-car train during it's station stop and checked everyones tickets. A good idea in my opinion.

[pavorossi]

They do a similar thing on the Metrolink. The only problem is the one's on the Metrolink can be a bit heartless. There was outrage earlier this year when a heavily pregnant woman was forced to get off because she couldn't find her ticket in the time she was allocated, which was apparently about twenty seconds. I think under the circumstances they should have shown her some compassion rather than abonding her on a cold and dark platform, especially as she had a ticket.

Adam

[martin adamson]

Where are the metrolink inspectors? Every time I have travelled onboard the Metrolink last year and this year I have not seen a ticket inspector come and ckeck tickets (but I usually only travel between Piccally and Victoria). It is strange as compared to the Sheffield Supertram there is always a ticket inspector on those trams.

[pavorossi]

They tend to get on at one station and then get off one or two stations later. And I've only ever seen them when it's busy. Thinking about it, I've never seen them in the city centre section, once on the Altrincham section (I don't really have a reason to go up there that often) and about ten times on the Bury section. I seem to recall there being one on every tram when I was little, but it might be my memory playing tricks on me, I would have been about 7 or 8 at the time.

Adam