Bracknell and rejecting Annual Gold Cards

Twice or 3 times a month I travel down to Bracknell (for the past 18 months) and in this period any ticket with a Gold Card discount gets rejected at the barriers whereas all other railcards are let through fine. Most staff at the station don't seem interested in letting you through the barrier and it takes them a few minutes to realise you're there.

Would it be wrong if I added a Network Railcard discount instead of the Gold Card to avoid this situation? I'd still be getting the same discount so it's not like there's fare evasion as a factor.

What error code does it give you? Have you tried using a different ticket machine if available?

bb21 said:

What error code does it give you? Have you tried using a different ticket machine if available?

Click to expand...

All the barriers reject them and it just tells me to seek assistance.

NathanPrior said:

All the barriers reject them and it just tells me to seek assistance.

Click to expand...

There is a three digit code displayed whenever a ticket barrier rejects a ticket; this is displayed next to the message to "seek assistance". The code will determine why the barrier has rejected the ticket - it may be that it cannot read the ticket, for instance, or it may be that it is intentionally rejected to allow for a manual check of the holder's eligibility for the Annual Gold Card discount.

I can appreciate it's frustrating having tickets rejected, however it would not be correct to use a Network Railcard discount if you don't hold a Network Railcard. The fact that you aren't evading any fare is immaterial - you are liable to have to pay for a new ticket, or for a Penalty Fare, or even be prosecuted under the Railway Byelaws, if you do not have the Railcard whose associated discount you used.

It’s the same at Victoria 15-19 with 16-25 railcards. They are never let through the barriers, which created massive crowds and queues.

Frustrating in the extreme - and if on board staff bothered to check tickets, unnecessary.