telstarbox
Established Member
Do Southeastern carry out any regular revenue protection on their Metro routes? I've seen maybe two 'stings' in 3.5 years of daily travel on their suburban network and they have a number of ungated stations.
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Southeastern revenue protection
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Over a decade I've used Southeastern in South London. Mainly on the Penge East & Hayes Lines. Only been checked once on the suburbans. It does seem to be quite rare. The fare evasion is off the scale.
blakey1152
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I've seen them on a few occasions at Slade Green. The one that sticks in my mind is where they held me up for 10 minutes because I had used a contactless card to travel from Sidcup to Slade Green not long after you could first use them instead of Oyster and the RPI was quite insistent that it wasn't valid because his reader was unable to check the validity of contactless cards. In the end they let me go because I was able to tap out and it showed an exit fare 
I've seen them on a few occasions at Slade Green. The one that sticks in my mind is where they held me up for 10 minutes because I had used a contactless card to travel from Sidcup to Slade Green not long after you could first use them instead of Oyster and the RPI was quite insistent that it wasn't valid because his reader was unable to check the validity of contactless cards. In the end they let me go because I was able to tap out and it showed an exit fare
Really? A contactless card will never show either a fare or balance. At gates it says just Exit or Entry while at validators it is something like "Authorised to Travel" (my mind has gone blank).
I'm not surprised at the incompetence of the RPIs there one bit though.
CNash
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I've seen revenue blocks at ungated stations like Barnehurst and Belvedere on occasion, but not regularly. As island said, they congregate at Greenhithe, and used to do so at Dartford before the Oyster area was expanded to include it.
blakey1152
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Yup, The RPI watched me tap out and it said "Exit" It didn't show any fare - I just didn't word it very well!!!
No problems! It was the showing the fare that I was questioning.
urpert
Member
I'd say there are RPIs at Penge East and Shortlands roughly once a week in the evening peak at the moment.
466.networkers
Member
I went back 'home' to Sheerness a couple of months ago, and had 4 RPIs and the guard on the single 466 ...
Then again, there are 0 ticket barriers on the Sheerness Line, so evasion is higher than those who hold tickets!
Then again, there are 0 ticket barriers on the Sheerness Line, so evasion is higher than those who hold tickets!
tsr
Established Member
Train patrols seem more usual. I've experienced them once or twice, on quiet Sundays, I think!
Yes, I did have a ticket, or more specifically a bit of plastic which would do.
As for gatelines, I'm always curious about which stations have been chosen for them. When I was last at Greenwich (and I presume little has changed), they didn't have any barriers. On the other hand, much smaller stations on the Sidcup line do have them - including ones which are very awkward to close off, like Albany Park!
Yes, I did have a ticket, or more specifically a bit of plastic which would do.
As for gatelines, I'm always curious about which stations have been chosen for them. When I was last at Greenwich (and I presume little has changed), they didn't have any barriers. On the other hand, much smaller stations on the Sidcup line do have them - including ones which are very awkward to close off, like Albany Park!
Obviously they will have to take into account the layout of the station and the amount of exits they will need to block and realistically how many RPOs or REOs this will require. If the station is gated they will usually ensure there are gateline staff rostered as well.
Alteran Ancient
Member
Funny that this topic came up! I got checked travelling on an ORP to VIC Metro service yesterday evening at about 7:30PM just before getting off at Bromley. The RPIs got off there and looked like they were going to head back to Orpington. The same two RPIs had been busy issuing a PF for an unlucky chap who got off at Orpington on the inbound journey.
I was using a Key Smart card with "London Terminals to Bromley South" and had done the slingshot via Orpington. They didn't seem to have a problem with it.
I also see RPIs at the gateline of Bromley South... despite there being a gateline that is closed about 98% of the time. They also frequent the bridge on the east end of the station, trying to catch people who are dashing for connecting trains.
So I would guess some people are just always travelling on the wrong routes, or the wrong lines. Or, perhaps more likely, the RPIs seem to frequent sections of route where ticket barriers are plenty and the opportunity for fare evasion should be quite scarce.
I was using a Key Smart card with "London Terminals to Bromley South" and had done the slingshot via Orpington. They didn't seem to have a problem with it.
I also see RPIs at the gateline of Bromley South... despite there being a gateline that is closed about 98% of the time. They also frequent the bridge on the east end of the station, trying to catch people who are dashing for connecting trains.
So I would guess some people are just always travelling on the wrong routes, or the wrong lines. Or, perhaps more likely, the RPIs seem to frequent sections of route where ticket barriers are plenty and the opportunity for fare evasion should be quite scarce.
paul1609
Established Member
Home to Sheerness? brave man.
MrTurbostar170
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Was checked today between Brixton & Victoria. One was stood by a passenger for a while but not sure what happened. There was also a beggar beforehand going through the carriages so not sure if they had an oyster or anything.
Dom395
Member
The last time I was checked on a Southeastern train was in summer 2014 (I remember because I was with my dad and he was doing the contactless pilot so I just looked up when that was).
tsr
Established Member
If you are targeting people who are travelling with no tickets or "doughnutting" etc., only briefly looking at readily-presented and routine tickets may be part of the strategy.
A lot can be worked out by means of body language before you even look at a ticket anyway.
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