Railway lies and misinformation

[whole diary]

[EBrown]

I've had another awkward day of travelling and it made me wonder, what are the worst lies/incorrect information you have been given by someone acting on behalf of the railways.

• I can cancel your Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) Card (For committing Byelaw 9/10 offences)
• You're eligible for a penalty fare (Non PF^▸ (Penalty Fare) Officer, justification for the offence non existent)
• That's not a valid route (Overton - London Terminals 1st Weekly Season Ticket)
• That's the cheapest way to get there (Staff seem to be told not to sell split tickets unless you explicitly ask for them)
• Advance tickets are not valid on HS1^▸ (High Speed line 1 - St Pancras to Channel Tunnel) (Marked "& Connections" route valid in journey planner)

Over to you!

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

That's the cheapest way to get there (Staff seem to be told not to sell split tickets unless you explicitly ask for them)

this is an awkward one, as staff can get in trouble for offering it ... all uk toc's have to follow rules this is one of them, it is also worth pointing out that some examples exist where a ticket will be valid on different routes however by splitting you can alter the validity and wipe out one of the route options or make you chose one over the other, another problem is that its complicated enough as it is, if staff were told to offer splits it would become almost impossible,once the smart cards come in this issue should be fixed

[JayMac]

once the smart cards come in this issue should be fixed

How will smart cards 'fix' split ticketing? A smart card is just the medium on which the ticket is held. The 'fix' has to come through overhauling the fares system not by offering an alternative method to purchase a ticket.

And I've said before, it's highly unlikely smart cards would be compulsory and usable at every station in Great Britain. Can you really see card readers and top-up facilities at places like Portsmouth Arms, Pilning and St Andrew's Road? Even if top-up was to be allowed/offered on the train would passengers without a smart card be denied travel?

Even after nearly 9 years of Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services), paper tickets are still accepted alongside the smart card and there are no plans from TfL^» (Transport for London - about) to cease selling those paper tickets.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

you will still be able to split tickets if you get off the train tap out and then tap back in if you manage to get on the same train train ....by fix the issue i dont mean from the passengers point of view

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

sorry to add another reply but it depends on the toc .... some have the reader at all stations and are committed to for-filling the franchise commitments .... even wimple has the readers and a tvm which could be used to top up a pay as you go version of the card as readers have been installed on the tvms also

[Chris from Nailsea]

you will still be able to split tickets if you get off the train tap out and then tap back in if you manage to get on the same train ...

There will be a lot of nifty footwork and frantic tapping out and back in again at Didcot, then ... 

[Btline]

Yes put the only people who use paper tickets are tourists who don't know about the Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) (and most of those get speical tourist oysters  anyway) and stubborn people who "prefer" the old system.

Hence the sensible decision to wack up the prices of paper tickets to PUNISH people who don't switch. If it were me, I'd make bus and tube paper fares ^20 to wipe out the remaining 5%.

I assume the same would apply to the railways. Smart card seasons cheaper than paper seasons.

----

Re: split ticketing. Would you have to leap on and off? Surely you simply buy the split tickets, load them onto your card and use them.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Yes put the only people who use paper tickets are tourists who don't know about the Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) (and most of those get speical tourist oysters  anyway) and stubborn people who "prefer" the old system.

Hence the sensible decision to wack up the prices of paper tickets to PUNISH people who don't switch. If it were me, I'd make bus and tube paper fares ^20 to wipe out the remaining 5%.

With a public transport manifesto like that, Btline, I'm rather disappointed that you didn't run for Mayor. 

[paul7575]

Yes put the only people who use paper tickets are tourists who don't know about the Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) (and most of those get speical tourist oysters  anyway) and stubborn people who "prefer" the old system.

So you completely ignore people travelling into the Oyster area from outside, travelling from the Oyster area to outside, and people travelling across London on long distance journeys.  Bit of a flaw in your idea really...

Paul

[JayMac]

you will still be able to split tickets if you get off the train tap out and then tap back in if you manage to get on the same train train ....by fix the issue i dont mean from the passengers point of view

And this is confirmed future ticketing policy is it? Or rather your opinion?

Hence the sensible decision to wack up the prices of paper tickets to PUNISH people who don't switch.

Paper 1-6 Off Peak Travelcard ^8.50. Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) Zones 1-6 Off Peak price cap ^8.50

Day out in London from Reading and making 5 or more tube journeys:

Reading - London Terminals Off Peak Day Return plus Oyster Zones 1-6 Off Peak price cap: ^25.00 (^16.50+^8.50)
Reading to London Zones 1-6 Off Peak Day Travelcard ^21.70

In those scenarios no one is PUNISHED for using paper tickets and they may actually save money over using Oyster.

[Btline]

Groan. Why bother spending time to find and post examples to try and prove me wrong?

I'm talking about the ^4 flat fare for the tube and the ^2 fare for the buses (~2x the Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) value). Clearly designed to encourage a switch to Oyster. Of course, before a national scheme is implemented this won't be the case for Outer London to London journeys.

The other thing I would do as major (thanks Chris) would be to make all but the disabled gate oyster only. So stubborn paper tickets have to QUEUE to get through the barrier as well as being fleeced. Tee hee hee...

Also let buffet cars on trains sell Oyster Cards like the Eurostar so savvy commuters can plan ahead and avoid queuing at a LU ticket office once they arrive.

[JayMac]

Groan. Why bother spending time to find and post examples to try and prove me wrong?

Just me researching before posting rather than leaving an overarching statement unchallenged.

I'm talking about the ^4 flat fare for the tube and the ^2 fare for the buses

Thanks for letting us know what you were talking about. I tried mind reading but that didn't work.

For the record it's ^4.30 and ^2.30 

Also let buffet cars on trains sell Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) Cards like the Eurostar so savvy commuters can plan ahead and avoid queuing at a LU ticket office once they arrive.

And the commuters on DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)) stock? Which forms probably the majority of rolling stock used for commuting into London.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

ever get the impression that we are arguing for the sake of it ... atoc do not want us to split tickets most people dont so why would they alter the whole system for the minority....you can get certain button cell batterys a hell of alot cheaper by buying big batterys which are made up from them and splitting them up most people dont do that..... quite a few splits work because of local funding on short distance commuter routes the only ways to reduce ticket splitting is it reduce long distance tickets or put up short distance ones one wont happen and the other as im sure you will agree is wrong  ..... or the fair option smart cards which will help keep shorter subsidised journeys at the lower prices

[Chris from Nailsea]

....you can get certain button cell batterys a hell of alot cheaper by buying big batterys which are made up from them and splitting them up most people dont do that.....

Wow! I didn't know about that: tell me more! 

[Southern Stag]

ever get the impression that we are arguing for the sake of it ... atoc do not want us to split tickets most people dont so why would they alter the whole system for the minority

I wasn't aware that ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here) had any opinion on split ticketing, there's a few TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) that seem to want to get rid of it, but it's impractical if not impossible, I'm not sure how you could ever justify banning people splitting tickets where the train stops at the point where the split is made. Smartcards are unlikely to be used nationwide for all tickets and why would people use them if they make split ticketing and saving money harder.