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York ticket office closed 2 hours early today plus questionable signage?

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AnkleBoots

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York ticket office had a temporary sign saying closing at 19:30 instead of the advertised 21:30.

In addition, the ticket office door states "When ... closed, a full range of tickets may be purchased on the train or at the self-service machines". (not as a temporary sign).

My understanding of this area of the forum is that some TOCs apply stricter rules, that is to say a self-service machine is an opportunity to pay, and the passenger is obliged to use it where possible or risk prosecution.

The emboldened wording above would appear to invite a ticketless passenger to ignore the machines if the ticket office is closed, and pay on the train. Do you agree?
 
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Starmill

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If there were a sign saying what the words you've quoted, then it would be incorrect for a train company to change their mind about what those words mean. They clearly give a choice, rather than directions, about using a ticket machine or paying onboard.

Something very similar applies to Northern's ticket machines, many of which have a sign on them that says that you may pay on the train if you are "having difficulty" using the machine.
 
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yorkie

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AnkleBoots said:
York ticket office had a temporary sign saying closing at 19:30 instead of the advertised 21:30.

In addition, the ticket office door states "When ... closed, a full range of tickets may be purchased on the train or at the self-service machines". (not as a temporary sign).

My understanding of this area of the forum is that some TOCs apply stricter rules, that is to say a self-service machine is an opportunity to pay, and the passenger is obliged to use it where possible or risk prosecution.

The emboldened wording above would appear to invite a ticketless passenger to ignore the machines if the ticket office is closed, and pay on the train. Do you agree?
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Yes York ticket office often closes early.

It is not true to say a full range of tickets can be purchased at the self service machines.

I agree that people can pay on the train when such a sign is present.
 
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AnkleBoots

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yorkie said:
I agree that people can pay on the train when such a sign is present.
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It's a permanent sign, so hopefully there have been no threads here about ticketless Sunday evening passengers being prosecuted / penalty-fared when starting their journeys at York.
 
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father_jack

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The old chestnut of if the ticket office is closed and there is a facility to buy....

You can buy the great majority of tickets from a TVM and pay with card.

So how should one be treated in this scenario if you offer a card payment for a off peak day single to Leeds onboard, compared to (say) a Heart of England rover paid for with a combination of cash, National Travel Tokens and Rail Travel Vouchers.
 
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father_jack

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yorkie said:
In this case the sign says you can buy on board, so that's that!
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Neither agreeing nor disagreeing with you but if you have a card (that might not have any money on it) you'd get your answer at the machine but if you have cash you'll know how much you have to pay on board..... Loads of old chestnuts
 
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mikeg

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York ticket office has closed early. I got the reliance bus to work this morning owing to service disruption. I therefore feel some mystery shopping coming on...
 
causton

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Belperpete said:
I know what a RTV is, but what was a National Travel Token?
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Aren't you glad I can access Google? :lol:

National Rail Enquiries said:
Tokens to the value of 10p, 20p and 50p are minted for purchase by local authorities and welfare organisations who distribute them, in lieu of money, for travel purposes.

National Transport Tokens are accepted by all Train Companies in payment, or part payment, for travel tickets and associated facilities e.g. reservations, supplements and purchase of timetables but will not be accepted for any on-train catering.

Change in cash may be given but this will not exceed the value of the lowest token tendered. Tokens will not be exchanged for money.

Certain local councils operate independent token or voucher schemes for local travel. For information on whether these are accepted by Train Companies customers should get in touch with the issuing authority.

This information shown might not apply to National Rail products purchased at rail licensed travel agents or from other third party retailers.
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However just above that:

IMPORTANT NEWSFLASH

National Transport Tokens ceased to be supplied to customers from 30 April 2018 and the scheme closes permanently on 31 October 2018. They are still in circulation but some Train Companies will cease to accept them from Saturday 15 September 2018 and others may accept them no later than Sunday 30 September 2018. We advise that you redeem your tokens or return them to the local authority that issued them to you as soon as possible.
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trentside

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yorkie said:
Yes York ticket office often closes early.

It is not true to say a full range of tickets can be purchased at the self service machines.

I agree that people can pay on the train when such a sign is present.
Click to expand...

When such a scenario occurs at my TOC, we receive a message to our work phones indicating the ticket office is closed and that a full range of tickets should be offered onboard (regardless of any TVMs etc). I would hope that other TOCs do likewise for the reasons Yorkie and others have stated.
 
causton

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trentside said:
When such a scenario occurs at my TOC, we receive a message to our work phones indicating the ticket office is closed and that a full range of tickets should be offered onboard (regardless of any TVMs etc). I would hope that other TOCs do likewise for the reasons Yorkie and others have stated.
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Indeed, a cursory glance at TyrellCheck for LNER shows they do this for their stations.

It might manually rely on stations phoning Control though, as it was for London Midland, and it was not posted yesterday.
 
RJ

RJ

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Haywain said:
Do they even exist anymore?
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I still have a few pence (of now worthless metal) in my tin of miscellaneous coins. I had no idea they were being discontinued until well after September 2018 where we suddenly got briefs ordering us to stop taking them!
 
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