Allowed on last train for free

[Jezza22]

I was just wondering what happens when your told by gate line staff to just go get the train as its the last one so you don't buy a ticket, as last night I was on the heavily delayed 1F26 and I got to Lime Street at 23:54 and needed to catch 2R50 from Lime Street at 23:58.

I had my £3 out ready to buy a £2.80 single the ticket office was shut so was going to use ticket machine when the gate line staff said just go get on as its the last train, even British Transport Police where standing there when he said it

 

[Jezza22]

I ran from Lime Street to get to the low level and the gate line staff said just go and get on as its the last train across the water at that time of night its only goes to Hamilton Square

 

[backontrack]

I ran from Lime Street to get to the low level and the gate line staff said just go and get on as its the last train across the water at that time of night its only goes to Hamilton Square

Fair enough. That was nice of them.

 

[jopsuk]

I reckon you got lucky. I would not rely on being lucky again


As an aisde: is there an all-night bus service across the Mersey? Or do Liverpool and Wirral become cut off for a few hours, other than cars/taxis?

 

[Jezza22]

Fair enough. That was nice of them.

Yep it was very nice of them as I would never travel on public transport for free. I even had my train fare out ready to pay for my ticket when he turned round and said just go and get on.

Even the gate line staff at Hamilton Square never checked tickets and the barriers where all open

 

[backontrack]

That's good. It's not something I'd expect to happen, but it's always good if it does.

 

[Jezza22]

I reckon you got lucky. I would not rely on being lucky again

I know I was lucky, I always pay for train fare anyway as I had my £3 out ready to pay for my ticket. I'm just glad I made that train and got home rather than paying taxi prces
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

That's good. It's not something I'd expect to happen, but it's always good if it does.

Certainly not something I expected to happen either especially as BTP where standing there at the gate line talking to the staff

 

[bb21]

It was a sensible course of action by staff involved, although I would agree with others that you were lucky they did not insist on you purchasing a ticket first, which they were entitled to do.

But it shows that not all staff are mean-spirited and inflexible.

 

[robbeech]

It often pays to have all your tickets in advance. Had you had another ticket and you'd have missed the train you'd have stood a better chance of getting a taxi home paid for by VTWC. If you haven't got a ticket then it's difficult to prove your intentions. I appreciate that your intended journey would have got you to Lime Street 2 hours earlier thus giving you many options, but in a less than ideal world they could be funny about it. Luckily common sense won the night.

 

[bb21]

If a ticket was not held in advance when an opportunity to pay existed at the beginning of the journey (Euston in this case I assume), then there is no entitlement to a taxi as the contract finished at Lime Street, officially.

 

[Merseysider]

If a ticket was not held in advance when an opportunity to pay existed at the beginning of the journey (Euston in this case I assume), then there is no entitlement to a taxi as the contract finished at Lime Street, officially.

What about (theoretically) a ticket purchased online, on the train, but not collected until Liverpool?

 

[bb21]

What about (theoretically) a ticket purchased online, on the train, but not collected until Liverpool?

Well, in that case effectively the ticket is already held, just not collected physically. The contract already exists to the destination.

 

[PermitToTravel]

Purchased on the train? That train took over an hour to get past Euston to somewhere with a phone signal...

 

[the sniper]

Certainly not something I expected to happen either especially as BTP where standing there at the gate line talking to the staff

I can see why you'd say that, but honestly, I've known on train cleaners and drivers that were far more interested in revenue protection than any BTP officer I've ever known...

Most BTP will only get involved in tickets when pushed or when there's an aggravating factor.

 

[Starmill]

If a ticket was not held in advance when an opportunity to pay existed at the beginning of the journey (Euston in this case I assume), then there is no entitlement to a taxi as the contract finished at Lime Street, officially.

If you're turning up delayed by 2 whole hours or more, it's my experience that VT will just put everyone who needs one into a taxi to their house, on the basis that it's now an anti-social hour, they've been delayed enough as it is, people may have missed last buses or trams as well as trains, and it's quicker to just stick a whole train load of people into taxis than ask to see all of their travel documents to check if they're really entitled to one. Of course, they don't have to do this but...

 

[Bletchleyite]

I reckon you got lucky. I would not rely on being lucky again


As an aisde: is there an all-night bus service across the Mersey? Or do Liverpool and Wirral become cut off for a few hours, other than cars/taxis?

Yes, there's the "tunnel bus" to avoid that being the case.

 

[M28361M]

The tunnel bus was withdrawn last year. The only night service linking Liverpool and Wirral now is the Stagecoach 1 which does a couple of trips on Saturday and Sunday mornings only.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The tunnel bus was withdrawn last year. The only night service linking Liverpool and Wirral now is the Stagecoach 1 which does a couple of trips on Saturday and Sunday mornings only.

I stand corrected. I bet the taxis love that!