Christian Wolmar - Trend Back To Barriers Is Damaging The Customer Experience

[whole diary]

[zebedee]

No way to gates at Newton Abbot!  It's bad enough, as a passenger, trying to get through the gates at St. David's in the morning - people just get confused and then the staff have to get involved, which just blocks the (narrow) entrance way up.  It's not the staff, it's the dummies who don't have their tickets ready or who just don't understand what they have to do or (and this really annoys me), decide that now THEY have got through the barriers they are going to just stop to put their ticket away or sort their bags out.

From a regular commuters perspective, I think they are nothing but a pain.  If fares were reduced in cost because they had cut down on the amount of people riding the trains without paying, then I would welcome them.

Sounds like we do the same commute.

I'm all for ticket barriers if they catch the cheats trying to wangle their way out of a fare when everyone else has paid.

I do get highly annoyed though when one of the two exit gates at St Davids is blocked by an "assistant". This morning the train 0803 XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) from NA was one of the busiest I have seen it and at St Davids one exit gate was blocked by an assistant - the queue was to the stairs. It would be fine if they stood so that people could get past. It can be done!

Indeed it does!  Yes, the 0803 XC was very busy this morning and I ended up standing - figured it was easier than trying to find a seat.  It especially annoys me that there is a much larger FGW^▸ (First Great Western) HST^▸ (High Speed Train) that goes just after and then stops at every station and probably doesn't even get 25% full....

I am considering giving up on the 0803 and going in a bit earlier and then coming home on the 1612 or the 1619 everyday instead, as they are generally more on time than the 1733.

1619 left on time today. Arrived into exeter with 4 minutes to spare before departure. In the morning before the 0803, your options are the 0730 to London (The Golden Hind) which will probably have a few spare seats as it is an HST.

Funny - I got the 1619 yesterday and was pleased it was all on time.  Yes, the 7:30 looks like the way forward (after I had to stand again going in this morning) I just need to start waking up a bit earlier!