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Potential reduction in opening hours of ticket offices at ten c2c stations – tell us your views

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miami

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Speaking as a customer, I would like to see tickets offices open for longer, I don't like using TVMs as I regard them as job thiefs also I worry about losing my money inside one.
The TVMs aren't going to tell me if the train is late nor will it have a friendly chat with me when not busy.

Remember when trains stole jobs from canal operators. Do you seriously still use cash? How quaint. Departure boards tell you (and everyone else) when the train is late.

Seems you want your fellow passenger to subsidise your chats?

Perhaps ticket windows should remain, but attract a premium to pay for the cost of the ticket office, equipment, and staff to have a friendly chat. Same with ticket machines in carparks, especially ones that take cash, which cost far more to maintain, and attract vandalism. Charge a premium over those bought via an app.

The payments to DfT started off low and increase over the franchise period which is part of the issue (DfT payment now ramping up) combined with more home working.

Don't they have to put up bonds for future payments to ensure the entire amount promised is paid?

Imagine the following (absurd) situations

TOC A says "pay us £1b a year to run this line for 3 years, then I'll pay you £5b a year for the next 3 years".

TOC B says "pay us £500m a year to run this line for 6 years".

Sounds good right? £12b total from TOC A, but costs £1.5b for TOC B

TOC A then hands the keys back after 3 years and walks off with £3b in their pockets

Surely there are protections against that? Although wasn't this how the Virgin East Coast debacle went down?
 
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357 LTSRail

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They need to be pretty reliable though which immediately cuts the number!
^^ there was a tweet the manager session that explained it well - there are very few suitable units around that can keep pace, be reliable and doo compatible. Not to mention affordable for what is a desperate TOC at this point - as can be seen by their frontline staff review!
 

357 LTSRail

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Remember when trains stole jobs from canal operators. Do you seriously still use cash? How quaint. Departure boards tell you (and everyone else) when the train is late.
Seems you want your fellow passenger to subsidise your chats?

Perhaps ticket windows should remain, but attract a premium to pay for the cost of the ticket office, equipment, and staff to have a friendly chat. Same with ticket machines in carparks, especially ones that take cash, which cost far more to maintain, and attract vandalism. Charge a premium over those bought via an app.



Don't they have to put up bonds for future payments to ensure the entire amount promised is paid?

Imagine the following (absurd) situations

TOC A says "pay us £1b a year to run this line for 3 years, then I'll pay you £5b a year for the next 3 years".

TOC B says "pay us £500m a year to run this line for 6 years".

Sounds good right? £12b total from TOC A, but costs £1.5b for TOC B

TOC A then hands the keys back after 3 years and walks off with £3b in their pockets

Surely there are protections against that? Although wasn't this how the Virgin East Coast debacle went down?

Whilst I definitely agree rail technology is the future, c2c's new TVMs and website are genuinely woeful - easily the worst I've experienced anywhere in the uk by a long way. In some cases, they offer the wrong prices, print wrong tickets, are slow and sometimes don't work at all! They also have limited season ticket renewal options, which can only be done at a ticket office. Don't even get me started about their app!

My understanding is that this debacle has similar issues to virgin trains east coast. Here though, it wasn't technically trenitalia who signed the franchise agreement. National Express "strategically disposed" of it, as they put it.
 

hwl

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^^ there was a tweet the manager session that explained it well - there are very few suitable units around that can keep pace, be reliable and doo compatible. Not to mention affordable for what is a desperate TOC at this point.
Indeed - I can't think of any available until later this year at the earliest which may be too late and not much point given the delivery dates for the new stock at that point.

I suspect not having the new trains to fill up in the peaks is probably half the overall issue.
 

357 LTSRail

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I suspect not having the new trains to fill up in the peaks is probably half the overall issue.
The ability to physically fit on peak time trains, particularly for the loop lines at west ham would certainly make using c2c services a more attractive proposition! Especially with the sheer volumes of new housing expecting to open across South Essex, at Barking Riverside/Beam Park and Chafford Hundred in particular.
 

Wolfie

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The c2c network is fully gated isn't it so presumably it isn't outside the realms of possibility to ensure there is first to last staffing and gateline staff are given the ability to issue the full range of tickets / provide assistance currently offered by ticket office staff.
Pretty much fully gated. Far from uncommon, even in the peak, for gates to be open.
 

Wolfie

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strain of franchise pressure has become very evident over the last few years - these official ticket office hour cuts in addition to frequent lack of staff at stations due to "staff shortages" have become a very common occurrence. Given the amount of crime on trains and stations on the route, I personally find this deeply unsettling. Rolling stock maintenance appears to have slackened of late too - trains externally very tired and dirty with frequent Passenger Information System and air conditioning failiures, as are the botched together Trenitalia based ticket buying facilities and website. Is a shame to see to be honest, from an operator that used to be so well regarded.
Agreed
 

chris11256

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Doesn't acknowledge that the new ticket machines as whole are horrendous. I don't think I've ever seen a worse UI on a ticket machine.
 
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