SWT: Barrier Policy - or not !!

[whole diary]

[grahame]

I overheard an RPI^▸ (Revenue Protection Inspector (or Retail Price Index, depending on the context)) telling a guard that  ..... 

Obviously, some discretion is required in such cases, but .....

Indeed, some discression is required.

Some discression is required if you're habitually going to listen in on other people's private conversations and report them in a public forum such as this.    And on the other hand, some discression is required by the folks who keep pointing out just how much of a habit this "overhearing" has become.  This could get rather out of the friendly spirit of this forum.

[matt473]

Just to let you know, just because a member of staff tells another one something does not mean it is true. Mess room gossip is not contained to the mess room you know with staff sometimes passing on untrue rumours as well. Even if you hear something, do not always mention it unless there is evidence to back this up or clearly state you do not know if it is true as it can cause unnecesary panic. It can also lead to people being given the wrong impression by passing on information you overheard as you may not have heard the full story.

[John R]

Having said that, many things apparently overheard would appear to be common knowledge within the railway community (ie calling passengers customers, the right to charge a standard single fare with no discounts allowed when someone boards a train having had an opportunity to purchase a ticket, etc), so I do wonder why on earth a driver would tell a guard (or vice versa) such non-information. 

[Ollie]

Yeah that is strange John as the full fare issue comes under NRCoC^▸ (National Rail Conditions of Carriage).

[Nemesis]

Do you lot imagine for one minute that this is anything more than a teeny little wind up? Lighten up chaps.   

For the record, I do work for a railway company in Cornwall and I do get a lot of fun from  the indignant rejoinders of those who imagine that their civil liberties are being eroded, just because they have been caught out in some way, when asked to produce a valid ticket. 

I have been taken to task for apparently pointing out the obvious, when these threads are riddled with arcane and conflicting discussion on this and related subjects.  Possibly, there are those who take themselves a little too seriously?   

Staff work extremely hard to maintain a fair and reasonable standard of revenue control and to discourage bilkers.  I personally encounter at least one minor attempt at fraud, never mind Rail Ticket based Railway Byelaw irregularities, every time I take a train out.  It is frustrating, but realistically, the only way to deal with it is to recognise that as human beings, we are all prone to look for an easy way out.

As such, on occasion, the innocent suffer along with the guilty, that is regrettable and IMO^▸ (in my opinion), should be minimised where at all possible.

For my part, I will not resort to 'overheard' conversations as a means of making my point, but will undertake to post as accurately and appositely as possible.  Have a lovely day, enjoy the wonderful spring weather and please do not perform the pocket slapping, ticket dance if caught without valid authority to travel.

[John R]

I personally encounter at least one minor attempt at fraud, never mind Rail Ticket based Railway Byelaw irregularities, every time I take a train out. 

Only one? That surprises me.

A case opposite me yesterday when a young lady (who stood out as not fitting the normal profile of travellers in 1st between Swindon and Bristol) tried to avoid the TM^‡(resolve)'s eye. He wasn't having any of it and asked for her ticket. She then got out several tickets in an act before saying, "don't worry, I've got some money, I'll pay for another one", without the concern that most people would have if they had lost their ticket.

The TM then asked whether she wanted to pay for a 1st class ticket, to which she said no to, so he kicked her out of her seat and sold her a ticket in the vestibule.

It was all so blatant, and the disappointing thing was that there appeared no attempt by the TM to make an issue out of it. Ironically, if she had been in standard (which was short formed and heaving) she probably wouldn't have been picked up.





   

[Phil]

(who stood out as not fitting the normal profile of travellers in 1st between Swindon and Bristol)

She wasn't wearing a First Great Western name badge, you mean?   

[Mookiemoo]

(who stood out as not fitting the normal profile of travellers in 1st between Swindon and Bristol)

She wasn't wearing a First Great Western name badge, you mean?   

I guess I must normally stand out like a sore thumb then

[John R]

Likewise, though I know what Phil means.

[moonrakerz]

As such, on occasion, the innocent suffer along with the guilty, that is regrettable and IMO^▸ (in my opinion), should be minimised where at all possible.

Hmm ! perhaps I am TOO honest - I always buy a ticket and can honestly say that I have NEVER tried for a "free" ride. That is why I took such exception to myself and my wife bring treated as "guilty" by an organisation that appears to expect the traveling public to obey their arbitrary rules when they themselves are totally flouting the rules that are imposed on them to cover this very scenario.

Staff work extremely hard to maintain a fair and reasonable standard of revenue control and to discourage bilkers. 

Hmm - again ! I suppose that depends on your definition of "staff". As I have commented several times before I find on-train ticket inspection generally to be lax and the use, or should that be non-use ?, of ticket gates to be almost laughable ! Who is responsible for this - Staff ? or, Management ?
If you had a human being checking tickets, at platform entry/exit, it might act as some sort of deterrent - to spend huge sums of (MY - as a taxpayer !) money on installing barriers and leaving them open and unmanned - at the same time saying that these barriers are vital to reduce fare dodging is real Alice-in-Wonderland thinking !

JohnR's story of the "lady" in First Class is apposite. My wife was returning from Waterloo on Saturday, she had (paid for !) a First Class ticket. As soon as the guard had gone through, First Class was invaded by a bunch of well oiled football supporters since Standard was "rammed" (to use their very loud words !). The guard was not seen again !!!!

[Timmer]

JohnR's story of the "lady" in First Class is apposite. My wife was returning from Waterloo on Saturday, she had (paid for !) a First Class ticket. As soon as the guard had gone through, First Class was invaded by a bunch of well oiled football supporters since Standard was "rammed" (to use their very loud words !). The guard was not seen again !!!!

You should write to SWT^▸ (South West Trains) to complain. They need to know when things like this happen.

[inspector_blakey]

But, at the same time as you sound off, put yourself in the position of the SWT^▸ (South West Trains) guard... How would you fancy your chances tackling said bunch of drunk football supporters and trying to move them into overcrowded standard class accommodation single-handed? Of course in a perfect world that would be possible, but guards are humans too (as people often seem to forget). Would you have preferred the guard to (potentially) get assaulted?

[devon_metro]

In which case she should be entitled to some form of refund; which writing into SWT^▸ (South West Trains) about might achieve.

[Mookiemoo]

In 10 months of travelling daily on SWT^▸ (South West Trains) I have NEVER once seen a train manager or had a ticket check between reading and wokingham.  Since wokingham is unmanned and I get off the train at Reading station and get on another one......... the temptation is endless.  I don't.

But then FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are not much better between the two either.  There are three TM^‡(resolve)'s I know who do checks - the rest, you never see on the way to wokingham but you do see them on the way back.

Incidentally when I bought my ticket at BRacknell yesterday, the machine was out so I had to queue.  For the first time in three years, someone actually wanted to see the picture part of my railcard.  I have a three ticket wallet so the way I normally work it is....

Top slot has rail card, middle has ticket, bottom has photocard from the days when I had a season (and the mug shot is much nicer).  The photocard for the rail card is always  behind the rail card with the used tickets but I've never had to dig it out before.   As I was still in work attire (for those who have met me, shock horrow I had a skirt and makeup on - fixed that sorry state as soon as on the HST^▸ (High Speed Train)!!) I suspect she thought I did not have a rail card since she asked me in a rather sarcastic/arsey way.  So I went into hastled mode (The queue was awful due to the faulty machine, the barrier man despite having a machine refused point blank to sell tickets and the 1707 to REading was imminent meaning I wouldnt have a chance to get back to the hotel to get my stuff before getting the 1750) pointing out there was a photo there that was me which suffices most people and could she hurry it up or get me a taxi if I miss my train (I know, I know but the machine was out, it was peak hour and they had ONE window open - I had gotten to the station at 16:50 - 17 minutes before my train) and had to fish it out.  Didnt even get a thank you or an apology for being arsey in the way she asked for it.

I HATE SWT - I only use bracknell coming back because client has a taxi contract with F&D and its much cheaper going to BRacknell than wokingham using their taxis.  I use wokingham in the morning and just get a rank cab.

[devon_metro]

Many guards on SWT^▸ (South West Trains) services are Non-commercial, i.e they don't do tickets. Can often be found sat leaning out the middle cab windows of a 8 car 458 operating the doors!