A suggestion to the Moderators relating to this forum...

[Ivo]

Feel free to delete this thread if acted upon.

Essentially, there has been a lot of talk of late of people not being able to photograph on stations because of the almost draconian behaviour of staff in some locations. Could I therefore ask/suggest that a permalink is provided in a sticky in this forum to the Penalty Fares page of the DfT guidelines, in which Rule 4.10 sets out that we should be permitted access the station premises for enthusiast-related use (as shown below), so that it is easily accessible for everyone?

In other words, if people are going out for a photography day the guidelines are easy to find and can be printed in case they are needed.

"4.10 At stations with a CTA, operators must make arrangements for people who are not travelling to be allowed into the part of the station covered by the CTA, if they have a good reason. This includes people who are meeting passengers, seeing passengers off or helping them with luggage, people helping passengers with disabilities, and people such as railway enthusiasts. The arrangements might include making platform tickets available at the ticket office or from a machine. People who are helping passengers with disabilities should not be charged to enter a CTA."

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/legislation/pf/penaltyfarespolicya?page=5

Just a suggestion; however, it would make things a great deal easier. Every other thread in which this has been provided has been lengthened to the point that the link has been essentially lost.

 

[First class]

Feel free to delete this thread if acted upon.

Essentially, there has been a lot of talk of late of people not being able to photograph on stations because of the almost draconian behaviour of staff in some locations. Could I therefore ask/suggest that a permalink is provided in a sticky in this thread to the Penalty Fares page of the DfT guidelines, in which Rule 4.10 sets out that we should be permitted access the station premises for enthusiast-related use (as shown below), so that it is easily accessible for everyone?

In other words, if people are going out for a photography day the guidelines are easy to find and can be printed in case they are needed.

"4.10 At stations with a CTA, operators must make arrangements for people who are not travelling to be allowed into the part of the station covered by the CTA, if they have a good reason. This includes people who are meeting passengers, seeing passengers off or helping them with luggage, people helping passengers with disabilities, and people such as railway enthusiasts. The arrangements might include making platform tickets available at the ticket office or from a machine. People who are helping passengers with disabilities should not be charged to enter a CTA."

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/legislation/pf/penaltyfarespolicya?page=5

Just a suggestion; however, it would make things a great deal easier. Every other thread in which this has been provided has been lengthened to the point that the link has been essentially lost.

Very, very few stations have a CTA. Nothing North of London either. Merseyrail has PFs but no CTAs. At a guess less than 3% of stations in the UK will have a CTA.

Bottom line is your experience is going to vary by day, by station, by operator.

Either way "must make arrangements" is a very loose term. Could restrict you at certain times/days etc.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

It's not as cut and dried as that either - which is what causes most of the problems.

 

[Mojo]

Very, very few stations have a CTA. Nothing North of London either.

This is incorrect. Birmingham Snow Hill and Moor Street both contain Compulsory Ticket Areas.

 

[chrismid259]

Chester requires rail enthusiasts to purchase a ticket to access the platforms if they are not intending to travel. I personally have never had to purchase such ticket as I've purchased a ticket to travel to Chester, therefore nothing is ever said.

Last November, I was talking to someone local to Chester. Apparently they have to pay a pound to access the platforms.

This might be a different scenario completely.

 

[rail-britain]

Chester requires rail enthusiasts to purchase a ticket to access the platforms if they are not intending to travel

Previously known as a platform ticket
I remember when they were 20p at Glasgow Central, so £1 seems quite fair
However, there should be no need to do so

Complain to the station operator and request an open-ended letter of authorisation to access platforms, on presentation of that letter
I have such letters from most of the TOCs now, come in very handy

The best response was from VT (although it took them three months to work out why someone would want to access the platforms and not to travel)
"There is no need to request permission to access the platforms, persons not intending to travel may do so at any time. However, if boarding a train please ensure you have a valid ticket to travel"

 

[moonrakerz]

Very, very few stations have a CTA. Nothing North of London either. Merseyrail has PFs but no CTAs. At a guess less than 3% of stations in the UK will have a CTA.

Bottom line is your experience is going to vary by day, by station, by operator.

Either way "must make arrangements" is a very loose term. Could restrict you at certain times/days etc.

Back to my favourite gripe again !!

If a TOC refuses to let you onto the platform without you being in possession of a valid ticket to travel - that is a de-facto CTA. The TOCs (SWT !!!!) seem to think that by not having a properly "authorised" CTA they can restrict access to non-travellers as they are not then bound by the CTA rules.
They have to let you have access to the platforms when YOU want - not when they feel like it ! They cannot "restrict" you - except in exceptional circumstances, in which case ticket holders would be restricted as well.

Take a copy of the DfT rules with you and ask for the Duty Manager if you get any problems at the barrier.....................