Midland Metro to increase Penalty Fares & reintroduce buy at stop

[Dave W]

I’ve posted before how I once got the team from Birmingham to The Hawthorns, conductor hadn’t got to me so I approached him and said “I need a ticket, I’m getting off next stop”, and he replied “just jump off, mate, don’t worry about it”.

It's rife on matchdays - there's a fair flow of passengers from Birmingham-bound trains to Wolverhampton-bound trams at The Hawthorns as there are certain delights (a term used extremely loosely) to be sampled towards West Bromwich before walking back up to the ground. I've been in groups of passengers before who pile across (the gates between NR and the tram platforms aren't closed until a certain time), clock where the conductor is and head for the opposite end of the tram - only going to Kenrick Park, so the chances of being charged very low. Same as you, conscience always got the better of me and I offered as I got off. Always waved away.

 

[Sprinter107]

With the very best of intentions, there is no way that a single conductor can cope with a huge crowd boarding at one stop like that. The Hawthorns to Kenrick Park is about 2 minutes, with several making that journey, even a couple of conductors would be hard pressed.

 

[Dave W]

Well no, fair enough. In fact I usually find myself admiring how twitchy said passengers get on account of the speed which the conductor gets down the tram. Especially at the Birmingham end - they can often have the entire thing done by Jewellery Quarter - v impressive.

[to avoid incriminating myself...! I'm almost always coming from London these days so usually get PlusBus which includes the tram, or if going to see my dear mother first, a Daytripper - so my validity is not in question - not guilty of such shenanigans m'lud!]

 

[Wolfie]

It's rife on matchdays - there's a fair flow of passengers from Birmingham-bound trains to Wolverhampton-bound trams at The Hawthorns as there are certain delights (a term used extremely loosely) to be sampled towards West Bromwich before walking back up to the ground. I've been in groups of passengers before who pile across (the gates between NR and the tram platforms aren't closed until a certain time), clock where the conductor is and head for the opposite end of the tram - only going to Kenrick Park, so the chances of being charged very low. Same as you, conscience always got the better of me and I offered as I got off. Always waved away.

Delights? In West Brom? The mind boggles....

Unsurprisingly, on a related topic l have yet to see the shiny new ticket gates at Wolvo station in operation on a matchday....

 

[Kite159]

With the very best of intentions, there is no way that a single conductor can cope with a huge crowd boarding at one stop like that. The Hawthorns to Kenrick Park is about 2 minutes, with several making that journey, even a couple of conductors would be hard pressed.

The easiest way to deal with that is by having RPIs at the kickball station ready to check/sell tickets for those alighting from the tram.

Assuming the tram stop can support such a revenue block

 

[londonbridge]

[to avoid incriminating myself...! I'm almost always coming from London these days so usually get PlusBus which includes the tram, or if going to see my dear mother first, a Daytripper - so my validity is not in question - not guilty of such shenanigans m'lud!]

Thanks for that, I’ve never thought about using plusbus, I’ll have to remember that next time we’re in a position to play West Brom, whenever we actually manage to get out of league one of course.

 

[bussnapperwm]

Does the existing byelaws on the Midland Metro allow for prosecution of fare evaders similar to the railways?

Thanks for that, I’ve never thought about using plusbus, I’ll have to remember that next time we’re in a position to play West Brom, whenever we actually manage to get out of league one of course.

Or the opposite happens and the worst team in the Black Country goes down to League 1...

 

[tspaul26]

The Edinburgh system is bizarre, if you are going to have conductors on every tram they might as well sell tickets.

My understanding is that they do, but the ‘onboard fare’ is higher than if you buy before boarding (£10 the last time I was there).

 

[40129]

The easiest way to deal with that is by having RPIs at the kickball station ready to check/sell tickets for those alighting from the tram.

Assuming the tram stop can support such a revenue block

I remember going to hockey games back in the early days of Sheffield Supertram, there would invaraibly be RPIs at the Arena - Don Valley Stadium stop checking tickets of alighting passengers and selling them pre-validated tickets for the return journey. Made Supertram a lot of money and helped minimize chaos at the end of the game

 

[Dave W]

The easiest way to deal with that is by having RPIs at the kickball station ready to check/sell tickets for those alighting from the tram.

Assuming the tram stop can support such a revenue block

Theres certainly revenue blocks on the rail side, and in ye olde days they used to lock the metro side doors so exit had to be via the block. Not sure these days.

Or the opposite happens and the worst team in the Black Country goes down to League 1...

Not another one