Automatic Ticket Barriers Coming to SWT

[scb201]

Just reading the new SWT magazine....

The new barriers will go in at:

"Aldershot, Andover, Bournemouth, Eastleigh, Fareham, Haslemere, Portsmouth Harbour, Raynes Park, Salisbury, St Margarets, Southampton Airport (Parkway), Whitton and Winchester."

Interesting article available through www.swtrains.co.uk

 

[Chriso]

That is great news i believe ticket barriers are a great addition to any station i just hope SWT man them properly to get the best results there are quite a few SWT stations which are already barriered which are left open far too often even during the day let alone at night stations of particular note in my experience include Vauxhall, Earlsfeild,Twickenham, Farnborogh (main),Bracknall and Weybridge.

 

[Mojo]

Stations I used to use, High Wycombe & Aylesbury have ticket gates, but are rarely staffed - customers have to ask at the ticket office if they need assistance. This results in annoyance for customers as they have to wait for a member of staff to stop serving customers on the "unpaid" side and also it makes them fairly pointless, as those who are determinted to avoid paying can follow other people through, jump over or climb under, or jump over the fence a bit further down the platform.

The new style ticket barriers with LEDs on them are also very slow and cause severe congestion at stations they've been installed at.

 

[960012]

I wondered how long it would take Bourenmouth to get them! it will ruin the nice Station feel, that station feels like a station, got a good atmosphere, tis guna be ruined by BEEP BEEP from the barriers!

 

[Jim]

I wondered how long it would take Bourenmouth to get them! it will ruin the nice Station feel, that station feels like a station, got a good atmosphere, tis guna be ruined by BEEP BEEP from the barriers!

Thats another food stop off the list then, if they are putting auto barriers there

 

[Tom]

I'm sure the barriers will accept break of journies...

 

[Mojo]

*If* they dont - then you can always go to the person manning them (or ticket office if there is nobody) and they'll let you through.

 

[trains2]

Oh goodie, Winchester's getting them. And Eastleigh as well. What's a rail enthusiast to do. They should have a rail enthusiasts season ticket which allows you onto any platform but not to travel on the trains.

 

[Ben]

Oh goodie, Winchester's getting them. And Eastleigh as well. What's a rail enthusiast to do. They should have a rail enthusiasts season ticket which allows you onto any platform but not to travel on the trains.

1. Platform Ticket?

2. That would be open to abuse.

 

[compsci]

I seem to remember that a break of journey is defined as leaving railway property, minus a few exceptions like it being impossible to continue your journey until the next day. As the area outside the barriers is still railway property the staff will be obliged to let someone back in if they've just been tot he buffet.

 

[Mojo]

And don't forget that the majority of tickets allow a break of journey if you get a jobsworth.. failing that, you could always sneak through

 

[devon_metro]

I would simply cause a riot 8)

 

[Oracle]

Sounds like Bournemouth will be like Southampton... bedlam at times. There are so many fare dodgers who try it on it seems at Central. The ticket barrier guys do collections of course but sometimes there is such a queue that they persuade the ticket office to open up the "EXCESS FARE" window.

 

[trains2]

1. Platform Ticket?

2. That would be open to abuse.

Platform tickets only seem to be valid for 15 minutes now, at least the ones I have used are. The main use of them is to meet someone presumably. It doesn't really matter anyway - if I'm snapping a train I tend to use my local bridges, don't really like platform shots.

Also god knows where they are going to put them at Winchester. On both platforms the openings are all of 8ft? wide, so you'll only get 2 machines in there without serious remodelling, and platform 1 has only just been refurbished anyway!

 

[Tom]

Bournemouth I'm wondering about ... how on earth are they going to fit machines there...

 

[LucaZone]

whens Waterloo going to get them? thought that was decided ages ago?

 

[thefab444]

No! Not Eastleigh, my main point for photting.

 

[metrocammel]

Platform tickets only seem to be valid for 15 minutes now, at least the ones I have used are. The main use of them is to meet someone presumably. It doesn't really matter anyway - if I'm snapping a train I tend to use my local bridges, don't really like platform shots.

I dont know about the particular platform ticket in question lasting 15 mins, however I have in excess of 100 platform tickets from around the country (all bought within the last year on APTIS machines, and they have all lasted 60 minutes, and with the exception of Leeds, all cost 10p- Leeds' are 20p). I have noticed barriered stations are often reluctant to sell the platform tickets, and often I have had to explain that I collected them, and on more than one occassion in London, I have had to show my travelcard - which sort of defeats the object of "normal people" buying Platform tickets!?

I have also bought a couple on the new TIS', including "Fujitsu Star", and "Cubic FasTIS" and both clearly state on them "Valid for 60 minutes blah blah, NOT VALID IN TRAINS".

But really, from experience, t/o staff do seem to think your either a fare dodger, or "strange" for buying platform tickets!!! (They are (or at least were a couple of years back) in the fares manual btw @ 10p for 60mins).

 

[yorkie]

But really, from experience, t/o staff do seem to think your either a fare dodger, or "strange" for buying platform tickets!!! (They are (or at least were a couple of years back) in the fares manual btw @ 10p for 60mins).

They may think it's "strange" to collect them but you could say you're meeting someone. In any case, if they exist then surely they're meant to be sold without fuss.

 

[Tom B]

Last time I asked for one I was told to just ask the guy on the barrier to be let in - which was duly done! :. defeating the object.

 

[Mojo]

I've asked the barrier staff to let me through with someone holding a valid ticket at Bristol Parkway numerous times, & they've let me through. At B'ham N Street the same, the barrier staff have a pile of plat tickets which they give out, except one woman who won't, - but I know never to ask her again!

 

[Chriso]

It looks like even more stations are getting the barrier treatment according to the FGW website Swindon is currently being done and Chiltern are to gate Gerrards cross, Beaconsfeild and Leamington Spa in addition to this 14 stations are to be gated on First capital connect although i think Stevenage is the only one too be done so far and South Eastern are to gate Gravesend and Ashford International.

I am still surprised One have not installed any barriers on the West Anglia as far as i know Seven sisters (LU CONTROLLED) and Liverpool Street are the only two gated stations on the WA. I have used the lines quite a few times and can only recall having my ticket checked once at Edmonton Green a few years ago in the WAGN days surely they must be loosing loads in revenue.

 

[asopu10]

I'm suprised Nottingham does'nt have them, I'd have thought it more cost effective than the current way of doing it with six staff covering the main entrance, but then it would need to be redesigned so instead of three smaller doors theres one larger one, maybe they'll do it in the refurbisment they advertised, though the ad only lasted a week so maybe not!