No Gate Lines

[tigerroar]

Had a day in that there London on Tuesday, went around using contactless and had no issues other than a journey from Battersea Power Station to Bank, having touched out at Waterloo using the gate line and following signs to the W&C there is no further gate line to get back in and must've innocently walked straight past the card reader. When I got to Bank W&C station there is a gate line before the travellator and told the woman there that I'd not touched in at Waterloo so she said to ring TFL. As it happened it just recorded my journey from BPS to Bank as one and I wasn't penalised, but it's so easy to make a mistake.

Another thing, we went on the DLR from Tower Gateway but went in the back entrance (not under the dome) and again walked straight in. It was only when we were on the train that we realised so we got off at Shadwell and returned to Tower Gateway to touch in. Funny thing is that there was no gate line at Canary Wharf so could've easily had a free trip. Although a few years ago there were inspectors on the DLR, if they'd have caught us between TG and Shadwell would they have been sympathetic?!!

 

[MikeWh]

Had a day in that there London on Tuesday, went around using contactless and had no issues other than a journey from Battersea Power Station to Bank, having touched out at Waterloo using the gate line and following signs to the W&C there is no further gate line to get back in and must've innocently walked straight past the card reader. When I got to Bank W&C station there is a gate line before the travellator and told the woman there that I'd not touched in at Waterloo so she said to ring TFL. As it happened it just recorded my journey from BPS to Bank as one and I wasn't penalised, but it's so easy to make a mistake.

The validators at Waterloo, coupled with the gates down from the actual NR platforms which appear to be entry to Waterloo Underground, are one of the biggest sources of confusion around. TfL do cope as well as they can with a missed touch there, so I'm not surprised it auto completed.

Another thing, we went on the DLR from Tower Gateway but went in the back entrance (not under the dome) and again walked straight in. It was only when we were on the train that we realised so we got off at Shadwell and returned to Tower Gateway to touch in. Funny thing is that there was no gate line at Canary Wharf so could've easily had a free trip. Although a few years ago there were inspectors on the DLR, if they'd have caught us between TG and Shadwell would they have been sympathetic?!!

Probably not. There are only a handful of gated DLR stations so you are supposed to know to find and touch validators.

 

[jon81uk]

Sometimes on the DLR the passenger service agent on the train will go round scanning cards and checking tickets, if they scan your card and you hadn't tapped in then you'll get a maximum fare. At other times they will physically block the station exits with 6-10 revenue protection officers (sometimes with transport police in attendance), if they stop you and you didn't tap in then its more like you'll get a penalty fare. I lived on the Isle of Dogs for ten years though and probably only saw revenue protection monthly and usually at peak hours. The passenger service agent though is a lot more likely to do checks off-peak when there is space for them to move down the train.

 

[tigerroar]

Probably not. There are only a handful of gated DLR stations so you are supposed to know to find and touch validators.

So it wouldn't wash that I was just a tourist and I was actually going back to rectify my mistake? I'd be quite annoyed if they weren't lenient.

 

[MikeWh]

So it wouldn't wash that I was just a tourist and I was actually going back to rectify my mistake? I'd be quite annoyed if they weren't lenient.

Well you said between Tower Gateway and Shadwell rather than the other way round. They might be sympathetic, but there's no guarantee

 

[yorkie]

So it wouldn't wash that I was just a tourist and I was actually going back to rectify my mistake? I'd be quite annoyed if they weren't lenient.

In a way, yes in that you'd only ever be charged a maximum fare or penalty fare, and not prosecuted for fare evasion.

 

[David Goddard]

This will only get worse when the Mayor abolishes travelcards, as every passenger, will then need to look for the validators whereas at the moment those with paper travelcards (typically from outside of the TfL area and possibly not familiar with tapping in and out) presently need do nothing.

 

[jon81uk]

This will only get worse when the Mayor abolishes travelcards, as every passenger, will then need to look for the validators whereas at the moment those with paper travelcards (typically from outside of the TfL area and possibly not familiar with tapping in and out) presently need do nothing.

The numbers on the DLR using paper tickets is tiny. A huge majority are using contactless or Oyster, including having travelcards loaded to Oyster (although with the rise in homeworking that number will be a lot smaller than before).

 

[renegademaster]

The numbers on the DLR using paper tickets is tiny. A huge majority are using contactless or Oyster, including having travelcards loaded to Oyster (although with the rise in homeworking that number will be a lot smaller than before).

Oyster Travelcards don't have to be beeped do they? I never did when I had one to take Croydon Tramlink with and never caused me any trouble with the inspectors

 

[jon81uk]

Oyster Travelcards don't have to be beeped do they? I never did when I had one to take Croydon Tramlink with and never caused me any trouble with the inspectors

yep as long as you stay within the zones it is valid for there is no need to tap in or out if you have a travelcard loaded to Oyster.

 

[Taunton]

There are only a handful of gated DLR stations so you are supposed to know to find and touch validators.

To be precise, there aren't any DLR stations with gates, it's only when using Underground etc stations which the DLR shares that you encounter them.

A little more consistency in siting the validators would have helped. They are up at platform level (Tower G), down at street level (most minor stations), outside along the pavement (West Ferry), or hidden halfway along the platform (Lewisham). We give Oysters to our overseas visitors and show them how to use them, but regularly find incomplete journeys on them.

 

[rebmcr]

To be precise, there aren't any DLR stations with gates, it's only when using Underground etc stations which the DLR shares that you encounter them.

A little more consistency in siting the validators would have helped. They are up at platform level (Tower G), down at street level (most minor stations), outside along the pavement (West Ferry), or hidden halfway along the platform (Lewisham). We give Oysters to our overseas visitors and show them how to use them, but regularly find incomplete journeys on them.

More signage drawing attention to the red painted lines would also help. I would say they're almost always going to be overlooked by those without prior knowledge of their function.

 

[ricoblade]

Had a day in that there London on Tuesday, went around using contactless and had no issues other than a journey from Battersea Power Station to Bank, having touched out at Waterloo using the gate line and following signs to the W&C there is no further gate line to get back in and must've innocently walked straight past the card reader. When I got to Bank W&C station there is a gate line before the travellator and told the woman there that I'd not touched in at Waterloo so she said to ring TFL. As it happened it just recorded my journey from BPS to Bank as one and I wasn't penalised, but it's so easy to make a mistake.

Another thing, we went on the DLR from Tower Gateway but went in the back entrance (not under the dome) and again walked straight in. It was only when we were on the train that we realised so we got off at Shadwell and returned to Tower Gateway to touch in. Funny thing is that there was no gate line at Canary Wharf so could've easily had a free trip. Although a few years ago there were inspectors on the DLR, if they'd have caught us between TG and Shadwell would they have been sympathetic?!!

Nearly happened to me last weekend. I was revisiting old haunts from when I lived on the Isle of Dogs around 2000 (have only been on the DLR again a few times since). I'd walked through the foot tunnel from Greenwich and had got to the platform at Island Gardens when I realised I hadn't touched in so went back up the stairs. For someone not used to the system, I'd say that they are not the most obvious.

 

[PeterC]

I have come across several DLR stations where readers are not visible when entering or leaving from some directions.

 

[jon81uk]

To be precise, there aren't any DLR stations with gates, it's only when using Underground etc stations which the DLR shares that you encounter them.

I think Woolwich is the exception, I think it does lead to the National Rail station too but the entrance generally signposted as the DLR entrance has ticket gates. As it’s the only station in zone four I think there might be more desire to ensure they get the revenue.

 

[tigerroar]

Street view helps. This is where we went into Tower Gateway, I was totally oblivious to that card reader https://goo.gl/maps/UtYhcmMYTN1tgadF8

 

[tomuk]

Street view helps. This is where we went into Tower Gateway, I was totally oblivious to that card reader https://goo.gl/maps/UtYhcmMYTN1tgadF8

Also note the red line across the pavement at the foot of the stairs which you aren't meant to cross without a ticket.

 

[tigerroar]

I had no idea!

 

[MikeWh]

To be precise, there aren't any DLR stations with gates,

I think Woolwich is the exception, I think it does lead to the National Rail station too but the entrance generally signposted as the DLR entrance has ticket gates. As it’s the only station in zone four I think there might be more desire to ensure they get the revenue.

And London City Airport, which has no other rail services.

 

[Chriso]

And London City Airport, which has no other rail services.

Last time I went through there were no gates at city airport.

Have they recently been installed?. Makes a lot of sense

 

[Mojo]

Last time I went through there were no gates at city airport.

Have they recently been installed?. Makes a lot of sense

City Airport DLR station doesn’t have a gateline.

 

[Gigabit]

The gatelines leaving the National Rail platforms at Waterloo from the entrances from the platforms used to confuse me no end!

 

[alholmes]

I’m a regular traveller on the DLR, mostly at off-peak times. In the last month I’ve noticed a significant increase in the number of on-train ticket inspections by the Passenger Service Agent. As @jon81uk stated above, the number of paper tickets is tiny. Almost everyone I see on the DLR is using contactless or Oyster.

 

[Taunton]

City Airport DLR station doesn’t have a gateline.

The City Airport station readers are two units together, inconspicuously located on the left in the darkest corner against a pillar as you walk through the passage from the airport terminal. If there are a couple of recent overseas arrivals standing around them wondering what to do you would never notice them.

 

[Thirteen]

Stratford has both gates and validators but that I assume is because it's also a NR station.

 

[MikeWh]

City Airport DLR station doesn’t have a gateline.

I stand corrected. Is it unusual in that it has a ticket office? I know there's something odd about it. I did go there once but must have misremembered what I found.

 

[Wolfie]

This will only get worse when the Mayor abolishes travelcards, as every passenger, will then need to look for the validators whereas at the moment those with paper travelcards (typically from outside of the TfL area and possibly not familiar with tapping in and out) presently need do nothing.

Not true. Anyone with a valid Travelcard on Oyster or other smart cards has no obligation to use the validators.

 

[Jimini]

I stand corrected. Is it unusual in that it has a ticket office? I know there's something odd about it. I did go there once but must have misremembered what I found.

I think I read somewhere a while back that it’s (or maybe it was) the only above ground station that’s staffed (Cutty Sark etc are staffed for fire regs I believe).

 

[Mojo]

City Airport has a ticket office as part of the conditions given at the closure of the North Woolwich branch. I have been to the station a few times within the past year during the times the ticket office is supposedly open, and it has had nobody inside and with all the lights off, with no sign on the door to explain why it was closed.

 

[MikeWh]

Not true. Anyone with a valid Travelcard on Oyster or other smart cards has no obligation to use the validators.

But when day travelcards are abolished there will be significantly more people needing to touch.