Progress on ticket machines offering cheapest option

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From Rail Technology Magazine

Most machines still not offering cheapest option a year after DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) action plan

A huge majority of ticket machines in Britain still do not inform passengers about cheaper off-peak tickets even though the government set out to target the issue specifically more than a year ago.

After producing the rail fares and ticketing action plan on 13 December 2016, the DfT made a commitment to ensure ticket vending machines made it clear to customers if they were configured to sell off-peak tickets. However, data released by the department today shows that the rail sector has fallen significantly short of its target, with 70% of machines still not offering the cheapest option.

Machines are set not to sell off-peak tickets during on-peak times so as not to confuse some passengers. This means that some people are not made aware when they can wait a short amount of time to purchase cheaper tickets.

The government was able to report progress in other areas of fares and ticketing, including greater flexibility for people who have forgotten their railcard, with the ability to claim the cost of a fare back the first time someone forgets their card. But on other issues, the DfT and Rail Delivery Group (RDG^‡(resolve)) are still lagging behind. For example, there were plans to reduce industry jargon which could often be confusing and leave people unsure as to where they could travel on their ticket. These have been pushed back from initial estimates, with the latest report claiming that the “scale and complexity of this undertaking has resulted in progress taking longer than initially scoped.” It has been necessary for the RDG to work closely with central government on these issues to ensure some problems could be dealt with.

Paul Plummer, chief executive of the organisation, who is writing for the next edition of RTM^▸ ((and RTFM) Read The Manual!), said his organisation had made a commitment with the DfT to increase customer satisfaction, adding that it will “continue to work with government and others to get this right.” Despite some of the project’s shortcomings, rail minister Paul Maynard focused on the positive changes that the action plan has brought about for British commuters. He commented: “Our aim was to make it easier for passengers to find the best value fares, offer greater flexibility when travelling and remove the complexity from the whole ticket buying process, which can sometimes leave people scratching their heads. Working with the train companies and consumer groups has helped us make some really positive changes, and work will continue into the new year to improve ticket vending machines and bring forward fare pilots, to ensure buying the right ticket is simple, easy and straightforward.”

He was supported by Anthony Smith, chief executive of the independent watchdog Transport Focus, who stated: “Passengers will be pleased to see the progress made so far, including advance fares now available on the day of travel, and more discretion shown when railcards have been forgotten. We now look forward to seeing further wins for passengers from wider reform of the complicated issues.”

How has progress been on this in the Thames Valley and South West?  Did we have a major problem to start with?   How much better has it got if we did?

[JayMac]

Canvassing opinion here probably doesn't correlate to the wider travelling public.

Most regulars on this forum are probably aware of the limitations of TVMs^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine), and what to do to mitigate against overcharging.

Continuing to highlight the issue is though a good thing. One day we might just have a rail industry that doesn't overcharge.

[1st fan]

From Rail Technology Magazine

Most machines still not offering cheapest option a year after DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) action plan

A huge majority of ticket machines in Britain still do not inform passengers about cheaper off-peak tickets even though the government set out to target the issue specifically more than a year ago.

After producing the rail fares and ticketing action plan on 13 December 2016, the DfT made a commitment to ensure ticket vending machines made it clear to customers if they were configured to sell off-peak tickets. However, data released by the department today shows that the rail sector has fallen significantly short of its target, with 70% of machines still not offering the cheapest option.

Machines are set not to sell off-peak tickets during on-peak times so as not to confuse some passengers. This means that some people are not made aware when they can wait a short amount of time to purchase cheaper tickets.

The government was able to report progress in other areas of fares and ticketing, including greater flexibility for people who have forgotten their railcard, with the ability to claim the cost of a fare back the first time someone forgets their card. But on other issues, the DfT and Rail Delivery Group (RDG^‡(resolve)) are still lagging behind. For example, there were plans to reduce industry jargon which could often be confusing and leave people unsure as to where they could travel on their ticket. These have been pushed back from initial estimates, with the latest report claiming that the “scale and complexity of this undertaking has resulted in progress taking longer than initially scoped.” It has been necessary for the RDG to work closely with central government on these issues to ensure some problems could be dealt with.

Paul Plummer, chief executive of the organisation, who is writing for the next edition of RTM^▸ ((and RTFM) Read The Manual!), said his organisation had made a commitment with the DfT to increase customer satisfaction, adding that it will “continue to work with government and others to get this right.” Despite some of the project’s shortcomings, rail minister Paul Maynard focused on the positive changes that the action plan has brought about for British commuters. He commented: “Our aim was to make it easier for passengers to find the best value fares, offer greater flexibility when travelling and remove the complexity from the whole ticket buying process, which can sometimes leave people scratching their heads. Working with the train companies and consumer groups has helped us make some really positive changes, and work will continue into the new year to improve ticket vending machines and bring forward fare pilots, to ensure buying the right ticket is simple, easy and straightforward.”

He was supported by Anthony Smith, chief executive of the independent watchdog Transport Focus, who stated: “Passengers will be pleased to see the progress made so far, including advance fares now available on the day of travel, and more discretion shown when railcards have been forgotten. We now look forward to seeing further wins for passengers from wider reform of the complicated issues.”

How has progress been on this in the Thames Valley and South West?  Did we have a major problem to start with?   How much better has it got if we did?

My mum was looking for a ticket price recently at Paddington during the rush hour. She had problems getting a reasonably priced ticket from the machine but that may have been down to her age/inability to use the machines. As she wasn't traveling immediately just looking up prices I suggested that we'd do it online when she got home. I went round  and found her an off peak ticket that suited her better.

Years ago I wanted to go to Banbury but from Paddington via Oxford not Marylebone. I needed to go that route because I was meeting two who would be joining me on the train at Oxford & Slough. From memory it was also cheaper to go that way. I tried to buy a ticket from the machines and the station was there as an option. The fares had not been loaded sadly and the machine would just display a message telling you this before dumping you back to the main screen. I complained to staff who said it was because there wasn't a direct service to Banbury. I pointed out that there was and they just said "Sorry you'll have go to the ticket office."

[grahame]

Continuing to highlight the issue is though a good thing. One day we might just have a rail industry that doesn't overcharge.

I agree the issue of people unknowingly paying TVMs^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) more than the minimum for their journeys needs to be drawn to attention while it continues to be anything except exceptional.   Whether it's "overcharging" or some of those lower fares and wheezes should exist is open to question;  I think I would prefer a more uniform system that we (and the TVMs) can understand.

Canvassing opinion here probably doesn't correlate to the wider travelling public.

Most regulars on this forum are probably aware of the limitations of TVMs, and what to do to mitigate against overcharging.

The really interesting question there is "what proportion of our readers are 'regulars'".    Looking at our Google Analytics, I estimate that we have between 2 and 3 newly arriving users for each returning regular.   And the new arrivals will be different each day, where the regulars are  - err - regular.

I appreciate we won't hear the views of the new arrivals here - they read and rarely sign up.  We do know that they will ask questions via a chat service, but that's an experiment we switch off because of the enormous resource needed to man it.

The regulars are indeed aware of the dangers of the machines selling a less than best deal - so probably can provide feedback here as to any changes to the machines over the last year.  Maybe not correlating wider passenger experience, but nothing does except significant sampling of what people buy, what they needed, whether they got the best deal.   And that has to be done by talking to them to see if (example) they bought an off-peak not  realising they could have gone for a superoffpeak - or if they bought the off-peak because of their potential return time.

[Chris from Nailsea]

As far as I am aware, it is still not possible to purchase a groupsave ticket from my local ticket vending machines at Nailsea & Backwell station. 

[Phantom]

As far as I am aware, it is still not possible to purchase a groupsave ticket from my local ticket vending machines at Nailsea & Backwell station. 

Correct still not an option, mind you it is only recently the offer has been advertised at stations in this area

[grahame]

From Rail Technology Magazine

ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about): ‘More to be done’ to ensure passengers get best ticket for journey

New easier to use machines and clearer language have helped more passengers buy the right ticket for their journey from station vending machines, according to research by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). Mystery shopping research revealed that the proportion of users who would have bought the most appropriate ticket for their journey had increased by 11% since the last survey in 2017, to 91%. Of those who may have bought the wrong ticket, 6% would have paid too much - a reduction from 13% last year - and 3% would have not had the necessary flexibility on their ticket, which was down from 6% last year.

The improvements have come following the results of the ORR 2017 Ticket Vending Machine (TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine)) research, when the rail regulator called on train companies to improve the service they provide to passengers. Following that research, the ORR also called on train companies to commit to a TVM Price Guarantee, refunding the difference to travellers who bought a more expensive ticket than necessary. All 17 companies have now reportedly signed up to this guarantee.

The ORR has said that it will work with train operators to ensure that they continue to improve the information they provide to passengers via TVMs to make ticket buying clearer and easier. Stephanie Tobyn, ORR deputy director for consumers, explained that passengers should be able to buy the most appropriate ticket for their journey without being “baffled by confusing terminology and innumerable options.” She added that although the ORR is pleased with the positive developments so far, there is still more to be done for those users who are not getting the best ticket for their journey. “The industry has made significant progress and we want to see companies acting on the results of our survey and continuing to roll out improvements to ticket machines to provide a better service to their passengers,” Tobyn concluded.