On Friday evening, I passed through Leeds station on my way home from work, and holding a Metrocard that doesn't work in the barriers, I have to use the "assistance" barrier.
There was a massive queue to get through which initially I put down to being rush hour on a Friday, but soon noticed nobody was actually getting through.
The gateline guy was asking people to take their Metrocards out and insert them into the barriers, thus holding everyone up. This wasn't a minor hold up, it lasted several minutes, with the queue rapidly growing.
Two blokes even started fighting as they both tried to push past each other. It got that bad I decided to step in and try break it up, as did others.
There was a manager present who actually advised the gateline staff member to open the barriers as it was becoming, and I quote "a health and safety issue". Now, on this, you think he'd obey an order, especially under the circumstances. His response though was "No, they can wait, I don't care"!
Now, I don't for one minute disagree with ordinary ticket holders being told to use the barriers as they should do anyway, but Metrocard holders? No! My ticket certainly won't open the barrier.
I do however think that rush hour on a Friday evening was perhaps the most idiotic time to do this, and it clearly isn't part of a new policy from Northern, as yesterday I wasn't asked to try my Metrocard in the gates.
I am gobsmacked that in front of passengers, he could just dismiss our welfare like that, as well as an instruction from a manager!
Most Northern staff are perfectly fine, but this guy is a disgrace to them!