Another example of why we still need ticket offices

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Complicated story from the Mirror

Commuter slapped with £142 fine despite trying to buy ticket from closed office 4 times

Kelly Hannah-Rogers couldn't buy a ticket at Folkestone Station in Kent when trying to travel to London, and tried three further times before being given a penalty fare

Complex storyline as she tries; I'll leave it to members to interpret ... but the seed at the start was a closed ticket office ...

[TaplowGreen]

Complicated story from the Mirror

Commuter slapped with £142 fine despite trying to buy ticket from closed office 4 times

Kelly Hannah-Rogers couldn't buy a ticket at Folkestone Station in Kent when trying to travel to London, and tried three further times before being given a penalty fare

Complex storyline as she tries; I'll leave it to members to interpret ... but the seed at the start was a closed ticket office ...

So as I see it;

1) Ticket office wasn't open at Folkestone when it should have been.
2) Conductor refused to sell her the appropriate ticket despite her being aware that others had been able to, and told her to buy it at St Pancras
3) St Pancras staff refused to sell her the ticket, demanded another £50 from her, called her a liar and then told her she'd have to go to London Bridge as they didn't have the correct facility.
4) Despite offering to go to the ticket office to sort the issue out if they would just let her through the barrier to do so, this was refused unless she paid a "fine" first.

Even the BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) tried to help her out but without success.

At least 4 major points of failure by the railway. Hopefully common sense will prevail and her second appeal will succeed.