TVMs at very small stations [DotD - 20.3.2020]

[whole diary]

[Bmblbzzz]

I thought it was also for people who wanted to pay in cash? (Theoretically even cheque; would a conductor accept a cheque? If so, I imagine it would be with reluctance)

[TonyN]

Just been for a walk and called in at Pershore station.

As can be seen from the attched photo there has not been any more progress with the TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) since the 26th February when the base was cast.

The car park was almost empty only 2 cars normally at 10am on a Saturday I would expect at least 15.

I did not see any trains as the next one was not due until 10:28 so no Idea of loadings.

[Marlburian]

The TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) at Tilehurst (and perhaps other stations up to Didcot) has only accepted cards for some years after a series of raids. Dunno what younger people do - queue up at the excess fairs windows at Reading?

The Tilehurst one is out in the open and becomes a bit erratic when it's raining; and it went through a phase of not recognising my credit card that was perfectly "readable" by other terminals. The worse thing is not so much tapping in one's pin code - and I'm always able to use "contactless" - but scrabbling around in the drawer for three tickets (out, return and receipt). Moisture gathers there and twice I've ended up with the three tickets stuck together.

(And there's minor subsidence where one stands to operate the machine.)

[stuving]

... excess fairs ...

Now there's an accidental usage that never had a likely meaning until a couple of weeks ago!

[Bmblbzzz]

The TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) at Tilehurst (and perhaps other stations up to Didcot) has only accepted cards for some years after a series of raids. Dunno what younger people do - queue up at the excess fairs windows at Reading?

The few that don't have a card will presumably do the same as anyone else; which I imagine is as you say, pay at their destination station if they can't pay in cash on the train. You can get a debit card of some sort from at least age 6, I doubt kids younger than that will be travelling unaccompanied.

[MVR S&T]

I would expect this will be the perfect excuse opertunity to remove ALL cash acepting machines, and not just on the railways, car parks in my BCP area are going that way anyway.

[grahame]

... this will be the perfect excuse opportunity to ... and not just ....

My selective quoting.   It's likely that there will be changes when things come back - things will be different.  The balance between opportunities - where the changes are for the good of the customer, and excuses - where changes may not be in the customer's interest, but are operationally or business convenient, is a concern.

We should look to Sir Keir Starmer, to Transport Focus, to TravelWatch SouthWest, to our MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post - a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London, depending on context), and to our local Community Rail Networks who have "critical friend" in their job descriptions to help as many opportunities as practical be fast tracked, with as few excuses as possible offered, and even fewer accepted.   

The Coffee Shop, too, may have a minor role in helping people differentiate between opportunities and excuse. Should all TVMs^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) go cashless, or not??

[Bob_Blakey]

... Should all TVMs^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) go cashless, or not??

No. While cash remains legal tender - I suppose the banks might eventually get their way and force us to accept a completely cashless society - all goods & services providers, with some obvious exceptions such as online shopping portals, should be required to accept it as a form of payment.

The only qualification to this statement I would add is that there are / will be a number of locations where the resident ne'er-do-wells are likely to try and use cash-accepting TVM's as their own personal ATM^▸ (Automated Teller Machine, or 'at the moment', depending on context)'s. In these instances alternative arrangements would be appropriate but, at least initially, I would prefer these to be in the form of better security measures rather than the complete withdrawal of a socially useful service. 

[RichardB]

... Should all TVMs^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) go cashless, or not??

No. While cash remains legal tender - I suppose the banks might eventually get their way and force us to accept a completely cashless society - all goods & services providers, with some obvious exceptions such as online shopping portals, should be required to accept it as a form of payment.

The only qualification to this statement I would add is that there are / will be a number of locations where the resident ne'er-do-wells are likely to try and use cash-accepting TVM's as their own personal ATM^▸ (Automated Teller Machine, or 'at the moment', depending on context)'s. In these instances alternative arrangements would be appropriate but, at least initially, I would prefer these to be in the form of better security measures rather than the complete withdrawal of a socially useful service. 

My view is that, yes, all TVMs should go cashless.  As long as people can still pay by cash at ticket offices, on trains and at barriers (and not get penalised for it), that's the key thing.

Removes the theft element and all the cost of handling the cash taken in machines.  Should (you would expect) reduce vandalism too.

[Bmblbzzz]

The machines in Bristol libraries (for paying for printing, fines, etc) only accept cash, which strikes me as odd. Of course, they're all closed at the moment anyway.

[grahame]

... Should all TVMs^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) go cashless, or not??

No. While cash remains legal tender ...

My view is that, yes, all TVMs should go cashless.  As long as ...

Can I agree with both of you?

When I did my learning (self-education) tours of the North East late last spring, I was struck by the TVMs at even tiny stations (exceptions noted at Chathill and Teeside Airport) with an ability to issue a permit to travel - a no charge ticket at the press of a button, available if you wanted to pay by cash or the required ticket wasn't available for some reason. 

There's a subtle difference between a cashless TVM (which these in the North East are) and a machine that requires you to have a debit or credit card in order to travel, unless you are preticketed - which (those in the North East are not).    I am happy with the North East solution ... less happy with the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) approach of plastering the station with plastering stations about penalty fares, with exceptions (like "I'm paying by cash") in the small print, and with the need to explain to on train crew why you have no ticket.  The "permit to travel" provides a re-assurance to the passenger - evidence to back his starting station story, and evidence to the train manager or exit gate operator of where the person really joined.

So - provided that the customer is properly looked out for (which is not always the case with GWR!), happy for TVMs to be cashless.   Now - looking at really big stations ... there IS a case still for TVMs that accept cash as a queue busting facility ...

[RichardB]

When I did my learning (self-education) tours of the North East late last spring, I was struck by the TVMs^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) at even tiny stations (exceptions noted at Chathill and Teeside Airport) with an ability to issue a permit to travel - a no charge ticket at the press of a button, available if you wanted to pay by cash or the required ticket wasn't available for some reason. 

That's a great idea.  Hope GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) adopt it.

[smokey]

I just wonder if Denton or Reddish South stations have TVMs^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine). 

A Cashless Society, might be the aim of the banks, but in the case of War, a cashless society would likely collapse.