Penalty fare increase to £100

[RPI]

Has something changed?

I travelled from Watford Junction to Crewe and return yesterday, all by LNR.

£11.20 railcard return, since you asked

On each of the four trains I used my ticket was checked, and checks were ongoing between stations.

I don't think I have seen anything quite like it!

I know the DfT have taken a keen interest in Revenue Protection for a while and from talk here and there it seems there may be a mechanism in place for TOC's to be more accountable for their Revenue Protection and increasing activity in this department, because now there is little incentive on the face of it for TOC's to increase revenue with it all going to the treasury.

 

[Class800]

I saw a new PF poster on SWR yesterday. It listed opportunities to buy before boarding and listed the app. It did not say specifically that it had to be used, but might be interpreted this way. Does this reflect a shift by SWR away from what it's always done - allowing on board purchases if TVM isn't working at an unstaffed station or if the ticket needed can't be bought at TVM?

 

[ainsworth74]

I saw a new PF poster on SWR yesterday. It listed opportunities to buy before boarding and listed the app. It did not say specifically that it had to be used, but might be interpreted this way. Does this reflect a shift by SWR away from what it's always done - allowing on board purchases if TVM isn't working at an unstaffed station or if the ticket needed can't be bought at TVM?

No it's a standard sign (only the TOCs logos on the bottom change) and it does seem like an attempt to imply that the app should be used but the legal position is unchanged. It isn't within the gift of any TOC to change it unilaterally.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I saw a new PF poster on SWR yesterday. It listed opportunities to buy before boarding and listed the app. It did not say specifically that it had to be used, but might be interpreted this way. Does this reflect a shift by SWR away from what it's always done - allowing on board purchases if TVM isn't working at an unstaffed station or if the ticket needed can't be bought at TVM?

I think you could say it was an opportunity but not an Opportunity, i.e. it exists and you might want to use it but you don't have to.

 

[Class800]

I think you could say it was an opportunity but not an Opportunity, i.e. it exists and you might want to use it but you don't have to.

Many places near me no internet signal on phone

 

[rs101]

Many places near me no internet signal on phone

SWR claim they have free wifi at all their stations - https://www.southwesternrailway.com/travelling-with-us/at-the-station/station-wi-fi

 

[Bletchleyite]

Many places near me no internet signal on phone

That's why it's only an opportunity you may wish to use, not an Opportunity in the meaning of the Regulations*. Because there are lots of reasons someone may be unable to use it despite possessing a smartphone and even having it installed.

It's not wrong to bring it to peoples' attention as an option, but it could really do with being worded "You also have the option to buy online on your computer or phone if you wish, this is a very convenient and popular way to pay".

I think at some point the railway will follow the likes of SBB and Nederlandse Spoorwegen in making buying before boarding unconditionally mandatory, but I don't think we are quite there in tech terms so I reckon that'll maybe be 10-20 years off.

* Capital letters are important in this sort of thing.

 

[AlterEgo]

Has something changed?

I travelled from Watford Junction to Crewe and return yesterday, all by LNR.

£11.20 railcard return, since you asked

On each of the four trains I used my ticket was checked, and checks were ongoing between stations.

I don't think I have seen anything quite like it!

Pretty sure @Birmingham was referring to Cross City Services - I have not seen the guard on one other than doing the doors for a long time.

 

[Kite159]

Has something changed?

I travelled from Watford Junction to Crewe and return yesterday, all by LNR.

£11.20 railcard return, since you asked

On each of the four trains I used my ticket was checked, and checks were ongoing between stations.

I don't think I have seen anything quite like it!

Maybe the guards have found the button to open the door into the passenger saloon from the middle/back cabs .

The number of times I've been on a London - Crewe service departing from an unbarriered platform at London getting a ticket check before Milton Keynes then nothing else afterwards (so any passengers from Nuneaton to Crewe* can get a free ride)
(In my experience the barriers at Crewe only operate until around 22;00)

 

[Class800]

SWR claim they have free wifi at all their stations - https://www.southwesternrailway.com/travelling-with-us/at-the-station/station-wi-fi

*claim* yes - reality it doesn't work in many remote stations

 

[ainsworth74]

In any event, no matter what the state of play with SWRs wifi may or may not be, it is irrelevant as an app is not an opportunity to pay and therefore if no other means of issuing a ticket are available a passenger will not be issued a valid PF if they could have but chose not to use an app.

 

[RPI]

Complete irrelevant, all that matters is ticket issuing facilities at the station.

Though there's nothing wrong with telling people how they can buy tickets, its quite common for irregular travellers to turn up at station, TVM not working, turn up at gateline, when they explain why then I happily sell a ticket in such situations, but I always advise that they can buy online if they wish as it could help them avoid the queues at the gates, often they thank me for the advice as they didn't know, everyone has a nice day.

 

[Bletchleyite]

In any event, no matter what the state of play with SWRs wifi may or may not be, it is irrelevant as an app is not an opportunity to pay and therefore if no other means of issuing a ticket are available a passenger will not be issued a valid PF if they could have but chose not to use an app.

An app is an opportunity to pay, it's just not an Opportunity to Pay.

That is, there's no harm in telling people it exists, they might find it very convenient, and if they do it's massively less likely that they'll casually fare dodge because they'll just get into the habit of using it. But they don't have to.

 

[AdamWW]

Fair enough. Yes I'd expect that.

Well I have just received confirmation that WMT got the email I sent them (asking why they believe they can insist someone buys a ticket on their smartphone when the ticket machine isn't working).

It only took about two months.