Rail Ticket Office Closures.

[g.meredith]

I booked a bicycle onto a series of trains from Chichester down to North Devon, via my local Rail ticket office, or so I thought.
I received a ticket for the bicycle labelled “Supplement” (no further details ) and was assured, that my bike was booked on all the required services.
I soon discovered that this was not the case and that a bicycle must have attached, its own ticket / booking, for each and every leg of the journey.
The “supplement” ticket was a ruse from rail staff who were no longer concerned with providing a service.
Pending or threatened ticket office closures and associated low morale is no doubt to blame. The ongoing problems at Southern Rail seem to extend in all directions.

[tyreon]

I wonder if 'the dream' of railway operators will be to have completely unmanned stations and driverless/guardless trains. Herein everyone will be expected to download their own tickets via their apps. When booked wrong or found to be at fault,the eye-in-the-sky or ticket machines will stop you entering or leaving the train station until you tap in your bank account details when you will then be charged a surplus or fine. Any try at cash transactions(at station)will not get the reduced fare promoted by having the credit/debit card(basically,you will be caned more for offering cash) Blind,disabled,elderly people,those demanding that little extra help, may have to pay more: why should they be subsidised by those are demanding less? A couple of control boards at 'Central' will monitor all things on tv screens: Big Bro.
For those fearing man-less stations or trains,anxieties could be reassured by the constant announcements 'You are being watched for your safety' with the blinking red eye of the camera twizzling overhead

[TrevA]

I don't see why we can't have the system they have on the London Underground. Tap in and out with your contactless bank card or phone. You get charged according to the time of day you travel, no need for tickets, guards, train managers, etc. You could get an automatic e-mail sent to your smart phone whenever you do this. One to confirm the start of your journey, one to confirm the end including the charge for the journey.

Why are we still relying on bits of paper/card in the 21st Century?

[g.meredith]

Long distance travel with a bicycle is likely to made even more difficult with increasingly disgruntled rail staff. The disputes (such as Southern Rail ) will grow ever more bitter. I have been at the sharp end of this discord and can vouch for the acute disruption it causes while on tour.

[axel_knutt]

I don't see why we can't have the system they have on the London Underground. Tap in and out with your contactless bank card or phone. You get charged according to the time of day you travel, no need for tickets, guards, train managers, etc. You could get an automatic e-mail sent to your smart phone whenever you do this. One to confirm the start of your journey, one to confirm the end including the charge for the journey.

Why are we still relying on bits of paper/card in the 21st Century?

I'd never used contactless until this summer when the ticket office told me that Underground fares are cheaper that way. The very first journey I made, it didn't register correctly and I got charged the maximum fare, followed by two more within four days. It took weeks of haggling to get my money back, by which time I'd spent nearly half the refund on phone calls.

[mercalia]

I don't see why we can't have the system they have on the London Underground. Tap in and out with your contactless bank card or phone. You get charged according to the time of day you travel, no need for tickets, guards, train managers, etc. You could get an automatic e-mail sent to your smart phone whenever you do this. One to confirm the start of your journey, one to confirm the end including the charge for the journey.

Why are we still relying on bits of paper/card in the 21st Century?

hehhhhhhh I dont think so. You can bet you would get charged exorbitant sums max fare Lands End to John O'Groats because you didnt click properly when you left. and then what about advanced tickets? I only use an oyster card in London because I have a Freedom Pass which is a sort-of - I rarely used the trains/buses before then. I am totally against the automation of paying. Next thing in the wings is no checkout at supermarkets money taken from your accnt when you leave the store with the items

[tyreon]

I guess I am too suspect.

I have been told train guards have been told to stay away from contactless whilst working: the machines can clock something from your card when its unnecessary.

Same goes if travelling with spouse. S/he buys ticket for other half. At either end both are docked for the trip. Yes,it could be corrected...if you are vigilant enough...or prepared to argue with the telephone/authorities involved for 7 weeks or more.

Machines never lie. Mmmmm....not so say the post office masters who went to the slammer or topped themselves when wrongly accused of fraud.

[TrevA]

I don't see why we can't have the system they have on the London Underground. Tap in and out with your contactless bank card or phone. You get charged according to the time of day you travel, no need for tickets, guards, train managers, etc. You could get an automatic e-mail sent to your smart phone whenever you do this. One to confirm the start of your journey, one to confirm the end including the charge for the journey.

Why are we still relying on bits of paper/card in the 21st Century?

I'd never used contactless until this summer when the ticket office told me that Underground fares are cheaper that way. The very first journey I made, it didn't register correctly and I got charged the maximum fare, followed by two more within four days. It took weeks of haggling to get my money back, by which time I'd spent nearly half the refund on phone calls.

I use it every time I go to London, which is about every 2 months. Never been overcharged, you can use it on buses, trains and the tube. No queueing for tickets, no fumbling for change, no topping up of your Oyster card.

[tanglewood]

And with Oyster / contactless there is necessarily a vastly simpler fare structure. Introduce contactless to the main lines and all those ridiculous variations in fares would have to go.


I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my wobbly bog brush using hovercraft full of eels

[drossall]

My commuting season ticket into London is contactless. I can buy the next month from my PC and it gets added to the smart card the next time I tap in.

<OT>Is the person who decided to call tapping in "contactless" the same guy who called clipping in "clipless"?</OT>

[bohrsatom]

It's sad ticket offices are being closed, but if the staff working behind the counter can't even sell customers the correct ticket, then what's the point?

[tyreon]

I can understand those who choose to use contactless,howsoever...this gives the excuse to the authorities to up the fares for those who don't...or can't:those without adequate £££ in accounts,the elderly,those unable to manage their financial affairs,the disenfranchised. Arguing against myself,I guess this happens now...with power providers,Brighthouse! When you are a 'little embarrassed' you wont get help but a good kicking. Disabled in any way you have to pay more

[nez]

cant resist...


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S1XxG33PE3k



I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my wobbly bog brush using hovercraft full of eels

[axel_knutt]

I find it irritating that you don't find out what you've been charged with contactless until a week or two later, I keep my accounts at the time the money is spent, before I forget. I'm also getting a bit fed up with all the TFL spam.

cant resist...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S1XxG33PE3k

"Next train's gone!"

I like the way he picks the crushed pocket watch off the rail: "It's stopped!"