Staff travel facilities are a privilege the vast majority of people don't have.
Misuse is often considered (at the very least) a disciplinary matter. It's not worth potentially losing a very good job over tickets that won't ever cost more than £20-40.
But why is a guard over writing a date after demanding the pass to do so and one genuine error on one digit worth losing probably 25 years of free travel? Why no warning, just a life time ban? Even murderers get a second chance 9 times out of 10 but my wife doesn't? They let child rapists out, but no second chance for her? It should be 3 strikes and you're out. You get less punishment for passing a signal at danger FFS! Nowhere did i ever see anything saying the slightest mistake or deliberate date change and you lose your free travel for life. Anything that severe should have a very clear warning.
As you can tell we are livid and my MP said to me that he was amazed that it was 1 strike and you're out for such a petty crime. He was annoyed at them.
My wife had to pay £212 return for our last long distance UK holiday and the half price French travel being gone means we spend a fortune on trains here in France too.
The only good thing to come out of it was that when deciding where to spend most of our remaining years, no free travel in the UK was one of several factors which persuaded us to live most of the year in an idyllic part of south-west France and return to UK for the 2-3 warmest months only.
No traffic, the rush hour around here is 7 cars instead of 2. Free parking mostly. Wildlife everywhere and crystal clear streams and rivers abound. Zero industry so no pollution (but no jobs hence the great prices). Empty roads for the motorcycle rides we both enjoy. £50,000 for a 3 bedroom house (2016) with 2 acres of land. Almost no crime, the last reported incident in our area was a stolen car 3 years ago. The incredible Pyrenees are a 2 hour bike ride away, as is a beautiful coastline. 300 days a year with sunshine adds the final topping. Almost permanent (UK) rain and /or cold most of the year can go screw now. We enjoy our time back home of course and it's great catching up with mates, but the sour taste will probably remain regarding this.
I coach tennis a few hours a week and my wife runs a Yoga class twice weekly so we keep fit as the years are charging by! Where DOES time go, guys and gals?
RAILWAY STAFF SHOULD have each others' backs and i will always say that and nobody will ever convince me differently. Railway workers who drop their colleagues in it are the lowest of the low. FACT.
I'm leaving the subject here, i will close by saying be very careful. RDG value you about as much as i do last weekend's chicken leftovers and there are colleagues around you happy to drop you in it. Disgusting.