Not sure if this is the correct place to post this, but I'm getting really concerned about the way that certain customers/passengers are being treated and the almost haphazard way that they are dealt with by some staff and external investigation/fraud firms (you know the one I'm alluding to in particular).
How can we make things fairer? Is there anything I can do, as an individual, to improve this system?
First of all though I confess to having been a railway enthusiast all my life after I passed my driving test in 1982 any long distance journeys stopped and between then and now my rail journeys have been heritage lines and West Country branch lines reached by car plus my local Merseyrail electric network.
However, having recently retired and turned 60 I have just acquired a railcard and intend soon to do a bit of exploring by train and see just how the network has changed further afield as it was all BR when I last rode round the country by train.
I have been a member of Railforums for some time and often read postings in this section. It is clear that some people are trying it one and deserve to get caught. No Sympathies there BUT from some posts you can see there is genuine anger / upset at the attitude of staff towards people some who have clearly made a mistake or have been even had a ticket which they believe to be valid and are then told it isn't
From my recollections of some extensive rail roving 1978 to 1981 I observed fare dodgers and others being dealt with by guards and TTIs without the seemed aggression that a lot of people report comes from the RPI's today.
In first with only a standard ticket? - please pay the difference or leave for example.
Not got a ticket? Out came the excess fare pad and the ticket-less person paid up.
Another concept which I find difficult to understand is claiming say a person with an advanced purchase ticket can only use it one the train shown on the ticket.
If otherwise the ticket is considered completely invalid.
Surely the system here should be to deduct the fare already paid from the standard fare and just charge the difference and issue a new ticket.
None of this travelling without a valid ticket nonsense which can lead to prosecution. The passenger has got a ticket but just not for the right train so really all they should pay up for is the discount between the two fares. They should not have to pay the complete fare again. To me this seems unreasonable.
Perhaps we should simplify fares. What was wrong with the old system:
Standard Return / Single
Day Return
Weekend Return
Short Break Return
That covered just about every travel option people would want. There were some restrictions such as peak / off peak but that was always quite clear.
If the fares system was simplified and the handling of ticket irregularities dealt with in a less confrontational manner would it not make the railways a better place. Surely the transport investigation companies and prosecution departments must cost a lot of money to run? Just having regular staff on board trains and at stations checking tickets would still secure revenue, and would probably see a lot less posts here!!
John