Leeds City barriers.

[metrocammel]

This point was highlighted when the ticket barriers at Leeds City station were installed, however, I thought they would have 'fixed' it by now.

Anyway, I decided to try them out. I had a Platform ticket from Norwood Junction, dated 13th February 2009. I put it through the barrier, not really expecting it to work. Anyway, to my surprise, it opened the barriers(!) On my way back into the station I put an old Stoke on Trent to London 1st Advance- again, it worked them!

This in my opinion is a complete joke. How much did the barriers cost to install? However much it was, was, at the moment a complete waste of money. They are nothing more than a folly. It seems you can put any ticket into them, no matter how out of date or off-route it is, and they work. I'm sure the old human ticket examiners weren't 100% accurate, but at least they would be able flag up some ticket irregularities, as well as check odd- sized tickets, such as the scratch-card type tickets.

These barriers just ensure you have a piece of orange card, regardless of what data it contains. I haven't had any news about the barriers at Ox Road or Blackpool North, but they are of the same design, so are they also set to be 'un-desparate'?

*Disclaimer* Before anyone accuses me of being in the wrong, and not having a valid ticket, I did! If, like I was expecting, the barriers had refused me, I had a ticket to Leeds, and Advance ticket on the NXEC to Peterborough!

 

[GNERman]

It's just to make you buy a ticket - a win win situation for the companies

 

[metrocammel]

It's just to make you buy a ticket - a win win situation for the companies

Not really. The old 'manned' barriers made you buy a ticket too. Fair enough, most people won't know they accept any old ticket, so it acts as a deterrent, but when they have replaced something that did the job perfectly well, it's a disgrace. And they can't argue they 'save' money, as there are usually at least 3 'barrier attendants' on large barriers such as that, and there only used to be 3 examiners in the old booth!?

 

[whoshotjimmi]

Not really. The old 'manned' barriers made you buy a ticket too. Fair enough, most people won't know they accept any old ticket, so it acts as a deterrent, but when they have replaced something that did the job perfectly well, it's a disgrace. And they can't argue they 'save' money, as there are usually at least 3 'barrier attendants' on large barriers such as that, and there only used to be 3 examiners in the old booth!?

I wouldn't be too sure about people not knowing. Quite a big thing has been made of it in Leeds - it managed to take up a good 10 minute item on Look North news.

With regards to making people buy a ticket, the opposite is, in fact, true. As the news item reported, one can get on a busy morning train into Leeds where tickets are seldom checked due to sheer numbers (if they are checked this can easily be avoided) and then one can pass through the barrier using a non valid ticket as MetroCammell points out. The item on the news was specifically made to show (without glorifying) the ease of fare dodging into Leeds as well as the problems suffered by those with pre pay cards. (see below)

Saving money aside, the reason the barriers exist is so that ridiculous queues do not form at peak times as they used to with the manned ticket barriers. Sadly, the barriers are not compatible with most types of older Metrocards, hence queue build up still occurs. This will slowly be rectified as Metrocards are renewed.

Such is the way with something new, it will take time to work to its' full efficiency. I am sure that similar barriers at the above mentioned stations will have less teething problems due to the experience at Leeds.

 

[dan_atki]

Barrier modes were mentioned in another thread lately: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=297342&postcount=5

Whilst it is clear they are on 'accept all' mode, what would beg the question is why?

Still, I remember the fact that the old Govia group passes worked the barriers at Watford High Street as well rather bizarrely.

 

[j0hn0]

They are definitely not set to "accept all"

I recently bought a ticket from the automachine to Bramley, put it in the barrier and it just took it and said seek assistance!

So it took me ages to get another ticket from someone else on the other side, and yes I missed my freakin train!!

 

[glynn80]

They are definitely not set to "accept all"

I recently bought a ticket from the automachine to Bramley, put it in the barrier and it just took it and said seek assistance!

So it took me ages to get another ticket from someone else on the other side, and yes I missed my freakin train!!

From what it seems the barriers can be changed pretty easily so perhaps at certain periods they are set to accept all and at others they are not.

This is the case a many London commuter stations where Child tickets are refused entry during the peaks but at all other times they are accepted through the barriers.

 

[clagmonster]

I have had an incident when leaving the station, I gave the barrier a perfectly valid ticket, which it swallowed and didn't let me through. The statio bert opened it without any questions asked.
I have also had perfectly valid tickets declined, and competely valid tickets accepted. When I have had tickets declined, the bert has only ever had a quick glance, enough to see that it is an orange piece of card. Very similar to the practice adopted by the origina barrier attendents.

 

[TGVDUDE]

NO TO ALL TICKET BARRIERS once again we are giving up to electroncs! lol, nothing beats man powers and at least a manned ticketing service will work a human being has working senses it can detect if the ticket is thin or thick enough and it can read the route on the ticket! also it would be much quicker and reduce lines in the stations as if a problem arrisses they can take you to one side streight away.

 

[yorkie]

Very similar to the practice adopted by the origina barrier attendents.

Yep, but as it's a barrier it is automatically better, according to the DAfT

Reality is irrelevant. What matters to them is that they get what they want based on waffle, figures that assume infinite growth (recessions don't exist in DAfT land), and a general desire to treat customers badly ("the customer is always right" is not a phrase they are familiar with).