Payment by banknote at certain Metrolink TVMs?

[Mcr Warrior]

Anyone know why at certain stations on the Manchester->Altrincham Metrolink line for example Sale (also Brooklands) it's now no longer possible to pay for tickets at the ticket vending machines using banknotes? (The slots have recently been removed/blocked up).

Previously Metrolink advertised that their ticket machines accepted all bank notes and coins except for £50 notes and 2p and 1p coins.

 

[WatcherZero]

Local gang blocking the slots and coin chutes so they wouldnt be returned and then stealing them.

 

[185]

Anyone know why at certain stations on the Manchester->Altrincham Metrolink line for example Sale (also Brooklands) it's now no longer possible to pay for tickets at the ticket vending machines using banknotes? (The slots have recently been removed/blocked up).

Previously Metrolink advertised that their ticket machines accepted all bank notes and coins except for £50 notes and 2p and 1p coins.

Robbery / Attempted robbery. Issue also afflicting railway machines, identical in build. Seems to be a (sensible) "do not replace as they'll try it again" policy. Annoying to J Public, but I understand why they've left it as it is.

 

[Busaholic]

Just in time for the new plastic £5 note, introduced today!

 

[duncanp]

Reminds me of a scam on the London Underground some years ago whereby the ticket machines treated 10p pieces wrapped in silver foil as 50p pieces.

(not that I am suggesting anyone should try this on Metrolink or elsewhere!)

So for a while you couldn't use 10p pieces to pay for London Underground tickets.

 

[gnolife]

They've now stopped use of banknotes at stations on the Bury line, including Bury Interchange itself.

Inspectors are taking an attitude of absolutely no sympathy with anyone who is turning up with only banknotes, with a policy of sending people (including children) turning up at Bury Interchange at 10pm out into the town centre to find somewhere to get change from a shop (which there isn't many open at that time)

 

[Starmill]

Robbery / Attempted robbery. Issue also afflicting railway machines, identical in build. Seems to be a (sensible) "do not replace as they'll try it again" policy. Annoying to J Public, but I understand why they've left it as it is.

I think Metrolink have built up a certain level of respect from people by making it quite easy to pay and by conducting enough ticket checks. Ticket machines being the only way to pay has meant they have been kept in good working order and are in sufficient numbers where they are needed.

But one's chosen payment method, out of those advertised as accepted, not being available is not annoying to J Public - it's a source of conflict. There are enough scum with no intention of paying a penny riding around on the trams as it is, certainly more than you can chuck off. Bad idea irking the ones who are trying to pay. If one cannot buy a ticket from a National Rail TVM, there will always be an alternative (including purchase at destination). Not so Metrolink, therefore it needs to be sorted.

 

[Leyland155]

They've now stopped use of banknotes at stations on the Bury line, including Bury Interchange itself.

This seems to be the case at most Bury line stations, although at Whitefield they seem to have taken a different approach. Unfortunately, I don't have any photos but instead of completely removing the note intake slot, they have placed some sort of barrier around it to block the slot where the notes are returned. I'm not sure how notes are returned in the event of them not being accepted though. Its a bit difficult to explain, but if anyone has any photos, that would be great

 

[daodao]

I think Metrolink have built up a certain level of respect from people by making it quite easy to pay and by conducting enough ticket checks. Ticket machines being the only way to pay has meant they have been kept in good working order and are in sufficient numbers where they are needed.

But one's chosen payment method, out of those advertised as accepted, not being available is not annoying to J Public - it's a source of conflict. There are enough scum with no intention of paying a penny riding around on the trams as it is, certainly more than you can chuck off. Bad idea irking the ones who are trying to pay. If one cannot buy a ticket from a National Rail TVM, there will always be an alternative (including purchase at destination). Not so Metrolink, therefore it needs to be sorted.

The Metrolink website states that "Our ticket machines accept payment by cash using all denominations of coins and notes except for 2p and 1p coins and £50 notes."

If Metrolink have stopped accepting notes, this statement should be changed and inability to use notes should publicised to prospective passengers. It is quite likely that prospective passengers will not have enough coins to pay for a ticket costing several pounds or more, unless they know that in advance that notes will not be accepted. This will be a particular problem for those without (or who are not carrying on them) a debit/credit card, including children who are unlikely to have such cards.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

:roll: Have now written to Metrolink HQ on this subject matter; currently awaiting a response!

 

[rebmcr]

:roll: Have now written to Metrolink HQ on this subject matter; currently awaiting a response!

Copying the letter to whatever GMPTA are calling themselves today (have they joined under the TfGM umbrella?) and/or the relevant GM councillors might help.

 

[RonnieMac]

I experienced this problem last week - I wanted to buy a day tram ticket, which costs £5, and the only means of payment I had on me was a £5 note. I ended up going to four different tram stops before I found one where I could purchase my ticket!

I phoned the Metrolink customer services number about this issue today, and, as mentioned above, they said that the note slots in some machines had been blocked off due to vandalism. She did say however that they are trying to find a fix for the problem, and, that when they do, the banknote slots will be re-opened. So it does only appear to be a temporary problem, which is good as I had worried that it was an insidious attempt to start to coerce customers into going cashless, a la London buses!

 

[Leyland155]

they are trying to find a fix for the problem, and, that when they do, the banknote slots will be re-opened. So it does only appear to be a temporary problem

For those who are interested, a permanent fix seems to have been implemented. Further to my previous post, this is to reinstall the note intake but surround it with a metal plate which presumably blocks the slot where rejected notes would have previously left the machine. Most machines on the Bury line now have this fix, but I'm not sure about other lines. I've attached a photo so you can see what it looks like

This is obviously a good thing as it means that notes can no longer be blocked from coming out and stolen, but I wonder what will happen if a note is rejected?

 

[Mike395]

For those who are interested, a permanent fix seems to have been implemented. Further to my previous post, this is to reinstall the note intake but surround it with a metal plate which presumably blocks the slot where rejected notes would have previously left the machine. Most machines on the Bury line now have this fix, but I'm not sure about other lines. I've attached a photo so you can see what it looks like

This is obviously a good thing as it means that notes can no longer be blocked from coming out and stolen, but I wonder what will happen if a note is rejected?

My guess is that the machines will have been reconfigured for rejected notes to come back out the way they went in - S&B's rail ticket machines went through the same treatment a while back IIRC.

 

[Leyland155]

My guess is that the machines will have been reconfigured for rejected notes to come back out the way they went in - S&B's rail ticket machines went through the same treatment a while back IIRC.

That would make sense. I know that many other machines can reject notes through the same slot but I wasn't sure if these machines could be reconfigured in such a way. Though I suppose if S&B can make this adjustment to their rail ticket machines, they can do it for Metrolink ones!

 

[185]

For those who are interested, a permanent fix seems to have been implemented. Further to my previous post, this is to reinstall the note intake but surround it with a metal plate which presumably blocks the slot where rejected notes would have previously left the machine. Most machines on the Bury line now have this fix, but I'm not sure about other lines. I've attached a photo so you can see what it looks like

This is obviously a good thing as it means that notes can no longer be blocked from coming out and stolen, but I wonder what will happen if a note is rejected?

Not quite. This experimental fix is to prevent break-in attacks - these happen at heavy rail locations too.

The note will reject below, but not very well.

The side benefit is it's a little more difficult for the slot blockers, but will always be possible

 

[Starmill]

If any more machines are tampered with, would it not be possible to start prosecution of these people?

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Can you get £5 of 5p coins into the machine? Especially at peak times.

No need for a discussion of what 'legal tender' actually is, thank you.

They say their machines accept all coins above 2p, does it specify how many?

 

[Clip]

Can you get £5 of 5p coins into the machine? Especially at peak times.

That would depend on how full the 5p tubes were inside or if it is a machine that holds the money before sorting it when a ticket is issued then how much that box could hold.

 

[Clip]

If any more machines are tampered with, would it not be possible to start prosecution of these people?

If they caught them first then yes.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Have now heard back from Metrolink, who advise as follows...

Transport for Greater Manchester are working hard alongside scheidt-bachmann (*) to replace all of the damaged and vandalised machines as quickly as possible. The more feasible option at this stage would be to replace the whole machine rather than the mechanism. We do not have a specific date of when these will become available.

(*) Scheidt-Bachmann = German based manufacturers of ticket-vending machines.

 

[WatcherZero]

If any more machines are tampered with, would it not be possible to start prosecution of these people?

Apparently Police are doing some undercover patrols of hotspots.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Banknotes now being accepted once again at TVMs at certain stations on the Altrincham - Manchester Metrolink line (including Brooklands) after having been blocked off for the past half year or so.