Ticket Machines - machines missing or broken, and penalty fare implications (merged topics)

[whole diary]

[Timmer]

Sad to say that installing these machines at unstaffed stations was always asking for trouble as has been proved many times by their vandalism since they appeared. FGW^▸ (First Great Western) appear to have seen sense and not replaced the machine at Oldfield Park that was broken into last December. We wait to see how long the new info points will last at this station.

[matt473]

Maybe it's time that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) and other TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) put machines at a local shop who recieve a commision so that the machine is safe and also still allow passangers to purchase tickets on board. May not be suitable a solution is some areas I admit but in some areas this could be an option perhaps?

[paul7575]

There are possible solutions: apparently SWT^▸ (South West Trains)'s machines have a more robust screen that is more resistant to being kicked in.

SWT also have some machines in 'accident prone'    areas that have roller shutter enclosures that are down overnight.  Remotely controlled, I think under CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) supervision - in case someone's just reaching in for a ticket...

Paul

[Chris from Nailsea]

An update from me:

As at this afternoon, the right-hand TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) of the pair had been repaired -



However, the more badly damaged machine was still a very sorry sight -



Compared with the very concentrated violence which had been directed at the whole 'cash transaction' side of the machine, the touch-screen appears to have just sustained one impact -



Looking more closely at the left hand machine, the extent of the damage caused to the internal workings became clear -





That suggests to me that most of the damage was caused in a concerted, but very misguided, attempt to gain access to non-existent hoards of cash within these machines. 

[inspector_blakey]

Chris, I stand corrected, you're absolutely right! I only spotted the damage to the screens in your first pic, but that's an obvious attempt to extract cash. Looks like there was some serious effort and hardware went into it as well, they're said to be pretty robust.

[Timmer]

Looks like the second machine is going to need a fair bit of work on it because the bodywork has been damaged. A trip back to the factory me thinks.

[John R]

A report in tonight's Standard about the conviction of an eastern european gang who targeted ticket machines in the east of London in a series of 22 attacks. The proceeds of their crimes was a grand total of ^8000, yet damage to the machines totalled ^350,000.

[Ollie]

Unfortunately showing machines don't take cash means nothing.

http://twitpic.com/1pia9t

[Chris from Nailsea]

Erm ... sorry, but I disagree, Ollie. 

That machine had the 'pay by cash' option, in full view in the top right corner, as well as the coin slot and the banknote slot displayed: they were only obscured by the 'yellow and black' tape and the 'Police aware' sticker after the machine had been trashed.

Interesting, though, that your police can get their tape the right way up.

Chris. 

[devon_metro]

Perhaps it's time to install ticket machines that consist of a touch screen, small computing unit and a pin pad with printing facilities. All components which are fairly cheap to replace in theevent of vandalism.

[Ollie]

Sorry picture isn't clear enough - the "please note" sticker says something along the lines of:

"Following recent repeated attacks on our self services ticket machines they are no longer accepting cash as a method of payment"

It's a bit longer than that, but that is pretty much what it says.

Edit: I do see your point about covering up the cash option with tape, but notices are on the machines saying no acceptance of cash - and even explaining why!

[Chris from Nailsea]

Cough ... all FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have to do is:

1.  Remove reference to the option to 'pay by cash';

2.  Blank off the coin slot;

3.  Remove the bank note feeder slot;

4.  Put a big notice on the machine that 'This machine does not contain any cash'.

Erm ... didn't I start suggesting that, to FGW, about a year ago ...  

[Ollie]

Might help in part, you will still have those that enjoy mindless vandalism.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Fair point - but the occasional bit of 'mindless vandalism', such as the gratuitous breaking of a touch screen, is still rather less traumatic than the complete scrapping of a hitherto perfectly functional Scheidt & Bachmann TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine), in the mistaken belief that there may be a few pound coins inside it ... 

[Timmer]

I wonder where the point comes where it costs more to repair and replace these machines against the revenue they make.