the lack of continuity between TOCs clearly being demonstrated here, but thats how I understand things are with my TOC and I believe us tail lamps have a good relationship with our revenue staff and we are very co-operative with each other...
Personally, I think revenue protection isnt being taken anywhere serious enough by the industry as a whole. That is despite the best efforts of the front line officers, and we have some fantastic revenue staff on TPE and I always welcome them on board. There are far too many holes and inconstancies and information that should be shared isnt. for example, an individual can be barred by LNER for repeat fare evasion uet can still travel (and offend further) on the same route operated by XC, TPE, GC, Northern etc... and their relevant revenue protection department would be none the wiser.. Staff often deployed on ticket barriers are often new starters that have very little ticket training, and have no powers to deal with anyone turning up at the barriers ticketless - and I don't mean this with any disrespect to barrier staff, as I see how badly treated they are by the general public, this is a management issue. But with virtually no knowledge of ticket types, routes etc barriers are usually set to splurge as there is nothing in place for tickets to actually show the mag stripe or barcode data they have so railcard, short fare or child ticket misuse cannot be detected and there is often no backup and support by anyone with authority to detain. Now I get this is not always the case, and I know some staff are really on the ball and are brilliant but from my observations some TOCs see ticket barriers as a liability, a half-hearted box ticking exercise that looks like something is being done and not the revenue protection benefit they could provide if operated properly and with suitably trained staff. Barrier gates are also poorly designed with low height partitions that can easily be climbed over in areas out of site of revenue gate staff. other areas are left wide open so people can easily enter the paid side without encountering ticket checks.
Personally i think revenue protection should be an independent operation, able to cross-work any service on any route, with full PACE training and power of detention (none of this you are free to walk away crap) and to manage al barriers and station blocks. This includes full authority to adapt stations to prevent barrier dodging. Grade 1 listing should NOT be a barrier to this as ticket gates and revenue barriers do not affect the fabric of the building, they are platform fixtures and fittings that can be easily removed. At the same time the fare structure needs a massive review right across the board as the current system is too heavy and confusing. starting with ditching the TOC only fares and standardising the railcards. do we really neeed a 16-25, a 16-17 and a 26-30 railcard? surely a 16-17 and a 18-30 would be a better range. How about one standard railcard right across the board that allows an accompanied plus 1 the same discount and any accompanied children a flat fare. One card that will do everything?