Penalty fare increase to £100

[jon0844]

Problem is smartphones often only have 2 to 3 hours battery life using internet, so on a longer journey it's not very practical

What smartphone has that poor battery life these days? I've got a high-end device that I use to watch videos at full brightness/HDR and even that gives about 4-5 hours of screen on time (which I happen to think is pretty poor). In terms of overall standby, it's good for an entire day though.

Many phones now have 5,000mAh batteries or bigger, and can go for days. Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra - a high end phone you'd associate with being power hungry - has been giving some users over 10 hours of screen on time. That's longer than most people's working day, and would mean the phone being used literally ALL of that time.

I've seen revenue people dealing with people who have had their phone die. In some instances, they're asked to just double check the phone is dead by holding the power button - but then they invent some excuse about the button not working (or they clearly don't press the button while pretending to do so). They also don't look happy if they're offered a power bank to give it a few minutes charge. The body language tells you everything you need to know!

It certainly does seem to be a new favourite excuse, but the outcome is always a PF or MG11, so I am not sure they've thought it through very well.

 

[zero]

Problem is smartphones often only have 2 to 3 hours battery life using internet, so on a longer journey it's not very practical

My phone is 7 years old and the battery still lasts for about 5-6 hours with active use when out (used to be 18+ hours when new).

I don't carry a power bank unless going on an international or multi-day UK trip.

If I know I will need my phone to show a ticket and don't have my laptop with me (which can also present my ticket albeit inconvenient at barriers), and the battery is running low, I will limit my use, reduce screen brightness, enter airplane mode when not actively downloading something and so forth, until I find a working charging port on a train.

I used a paper ticket last week so not worried about phone dying, and I was actually surprised how long my phone lasted when starting the day with 50% battery as I forgot to switch on the charger the previous night.

 

[rs101]

What smartphone has that poor battery life these days? I've got a high-end device that I use to watch videos at full brightness/HDR and even that gives about 4-5 hours of screen on time (which I happen to think is pretty poor). In terms of overall standby, it's good for an entire day though.

Many phones now have 5,000mAh batteries or bigger, and can go for days. Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra - a high end phone you'd associate with being power hungry - has been giving some users over 10 hours of screen on time. That's longer than most people's working day, and would mean the phone being used literally ALL of that time.

I've seen revenue people dealing with people who have had their phone die. In some instances, they're asked to just double check the phone is dead by holding the power button - but then they invent some excuse about the button not working (or they clearly don't press the button while pretending to do so). They also don't look happy if they're offered a power bank to give it a few minutes charge. The body language tells you everything you need to know!

It certainly does seem to be a new favourite excuse, but the outcome is always a PF or MG11, so I am not sure they've thought it through very well.

Plus if you're on a longer journey, many trains have power available at most of the seats, so easy enough to top up the charge.

Although if I had a phone which only had 2-3 hours battery life, I'd be carrying half a dozen power banks!

 

[Haywain]

Although if I had a phone which only had 2-3 hours battery life, I'd be carrying half a dozen power banks!

I'd be buying a new phone.

 

[_toommm_]

Problem is smartphones often only have 2 to 3 hours battery life using internet, so on a longer journey it's not very practical

What smartphone are you using? I never turn off my mobile internet, and I get a day of usage.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Something I've always wondered if indeed a phone is dead when the ticket inspection comes round but the passenger has the facility to charge their phone on board (i.e. a cable and charging sockets) is there any official guidance as to if they're 'allowed' to present their ticket later in the journey to avoid the penalty being issued? I'm guessing it would be more discretion based

When power is connected, phones come to life within maybe ten seconds.

Problem is smartphones often only have 2 to 3 hours battery life using internet, so on a longer journey it's not very practical

Do you actually own a smartphone? Because, no they don't, they last far longer than that (and having Internet turned on makes very little difference, the thing that eats battery is the screen). That was perhaps true of the first or second generation of them (e.g. the HTC Desire - well ahead of its time but rubbish battery life) but those were from over 10 years ago now.

If that's your normal experience of yours, then the battery is either faulty or has deteriorated to the point of it not being usable and needing replacement (of the battery or the phone).

 

[spag23]

the HTC Desire - well ahead of its time but rubbish battery life) but those were from over 10 years ago now.

I've opted for technology developed 6000 years ago, based on papyrus. The data and display can remain readable for a thousand years, never mind 5 hours.

 

[Class800]

When power is connected, phones come to life within maybe ten seconds.



Do you actually own a smartphone? Because, no they don't, they last far longer than that (and having Internet turned on makes very little difference, the thing that eats battery is the screen). That was perhaps true of the first or second generation of them (e.g. the HTC Desire - well ahead of its time but rubbish battery life) but those were from over 10 years ago now.

If that's your normal experience of yours, then the battery is either faulty or has deteriorated to the point of it not being usable and needing replacement (of the battery or the phone).

yes mine is a bit like that

 

[Bletchleyite]

yes mine is a bit like that

What is it and how old is it?

 

[Class800]

What is it and how old is it?

3 years old Samsung - using SatNav takes battery down 1% per minute for example

 

[Bletchleyite]

3 years old Samsung - using SatNav takes battery down 1% per minute for example

GPS is quite battery heavy.

Don't the Samsungs have swappable batteries? If so, just get a replacement. If not, take it to a phone shop and get them to replace it.

 

[Llanigraham]

Problem is smartphones often only have 2 to 3 hours battery life using internet, so on a longer journey it's not very practical

It is perfectly practical; they either control their useage, or carry a means to ensure their phone battery is charged either with a lead or a power bank.

 

[zero]

I've opted for technology developed 6000 years ago, based on papyrus. The data and display can remain readable for a thousand years, never mind 5 hours.

Err... I have kept every paper ticket I ever had as an adult that wasn't swallowed by barriers. Most of my UK orange CCSTs that are over 10 years old have faded.

 

[AlterEgo]

Err... I have kept every paper ticket I ever had as an adult that wasn't swallowed by barriers. Most of my UK orange CCSTs that are over 10 years old have faded.

Not to mention railcards fading well within a year. Thermal printing onto waxy card isn’t exactly quill and ink!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Not to mention railcards fading well within a year. Thermal printing onto waxy card isn’t exactly quill and ink!

The plastic ones sold online are much better.

 

[island]

Err... I have kept every paper ticket I ever had as an adult that wasn't swallowed by barriers. Most of my UK orange CCSTs that are over 10 years old have faded.

I have a range of far older Iarnród Éireann tickets which have stayed in great condition, but they were dot matrix printed until very recently.

 

[jon0844]

3 years old Samsung - using SatNav takes battery down 1% per minute for example

That should really not be happening. No phone should be dropping 1% every minute!

 

[AdamWW]

If I know I will need my phone to show a ticket and don't have my laptop with me (which can also present my ticket albeit inconvenient at barriers), and the battery is running low, I will limit my use, reduce screen brightness, enter airplane mode when not actively downloading something and so forth, until I find a working charging port on a train.

I don't know if this is a problem in the UK (I suspect not), but I got caught out in the Netherlands because even though I had enough battery left to show my ticket, it was low enough that my phone insisted on dimming the screen and the reader at the barrier couldn't cope without the screen being at supernova brightness level.

Fortunately (and in my experience this is pretty rare in the Netherlands) there was actually a member of staff to let me through the barrier. I made sure I charged my phone on the train - and of course the station at the other end didn't have barriers...

 

[Class800]

I don't know if this is a problem in the UK (I suspect not), but I got caught out in the Netherlands because even though I had enough battery left to show my ticket, it was low enough that my phone insisted on dimming the screen and the reader at the barrier couldn't cope without the screen being at supernova brightness level.

Fortunately (and in my experience this is pretty rare in the Netherlands) there was actually a member of staff to let me through the barrier. I made sure I charged my phone on the train - and of course the station at the other end didn't have barriers...

No staff at Dutch barriers? Wonder how this will go on a business trip in coming weeks, I've never been there before, got an e-ticket and have printed it as it came as a PDF

 

[AdamWW]

No staff at Dutch barriers? Wonder how this will go on a business trip in coming weeks, I've never been there before, got an e-ticket and have printed it as it came as a PDF

I didn't have any trouble scanning paper tickets at barriers.

(And I think we have both now gone a bit off-topic - this thread was about smart phone battery life and the longevity of printing on paper tickets, wasn't it?)

 

[island]

No staff at Dutch barriers? Wonder how this will go on a business trip in coming weeks, I've never been there before, got an e-ticket and have printed it as it came as a PDF

Unstaffed barriers have help points although they will of course be answered in Dutch.

Each gateline has at least one lane which can scan barcode tickets.

 

[Ediswan]

Unstaffed barriers have help points although they will of course be answered in Dutch.

With a very good chance that if they hear English they will reply accordingly.

 

[BenS123]

Over 2,000 West Midlands Railway passengers given Penalty Fares

West Midlands Railway (WMR) revealed that 2,014 people have been given a Penalty Fare within the first month of the penalty increasing.

www.railadvent.co.uk

Looks like WMR have given out over 2,000 of the increased Penalty Fares

West Midlands Railway (WMR) has revealed that 2,014 people have been given a Penalty Fare within the first month of the penalty increasing.

West Midlands Railway ran a campaign to publicise the increase of the fare, however are still handing out around 67 penalty fares a day.

Annamaria Izzard, head of revenue protection at WMR, said: “The increase to the Penalty Fare was brought in to help protect hundreds of millions of pounds of vital revenue for the railway which is lost through fare evasion every year.

“The number of penalty fares we have issued shows how seriously we take fare dodging and although the vast majority of our customers do the right thing and purchase before they travel, I hope the Penalty Fare scheme will encourage everyone to think twice about ticketless travel and attempting to evade the fare.”

 

[Watershed]

Over 2,000 West Midlands Railway passengers given Penalty Fares

West Midlands Railway (WMR) revealed that 2,014 people have been given a Penalty Fare within the first month of the penalty increasing.

www.railadvent.co.uk

Looks like WMR have given out over 2,000 of the increased Penalty Fares

And yet, from the recent WMT Penalty Fare we have seen on another thread, all 2000 will have been issued non-compliantly as they did not contain the required wording.

Perhaps someone ought to run a campaign to encourage WMT to "think twice" about complying with the Regulations and attempting to evade the proper procedures?

 

[RPI]

And yet, from the recent WMT Penalty Fare we have seen on another thread, all 2000 will have been issued non-compliantly as they did not contain the required wording.

Perhaps someone ought to run a campaign to encourage WMT to "think twice" about complying with the Regulations and attempting to evade the proper procedures?

Beat me to it!

 

[AdamWW]

Over 2,000 West Midlands Railway passengers given Penalty Fares

West Midlands Railway (WMR) revealed that 2,014 people have been given a Penalty Fare within the first month of the penalty increasing.

www.railadvent.co.uk

Looks like WMR have given out over 2,000 of the increased Penalty Fares

It would be interesting (but impossible I suppose) to know how many of these were issued to people deliberately fare evading, and how many people were caught out for making innocent mistakes.

The phrasing "ran a campaign to publicise the increase of the fare, however are still handing out around 67 penalty fares a day." suggests they think that they are being issued to fare dodgers.

 

[Kite159]

Sounds like they are being issued to those travelling between two unbarriered stations* whom think payment is strictly optional. Probably the sort who try and jump into the front unit of a pair of 323s or non gangwayed turbostars.

Revenue checks on West Midlands has been extremely poor in recent years. (*Or the sort who buys a ticket to Duddeston to bypass the gateline at New Street)

 

[Birmingham]

Probably the sort who try and jump into the front unit of a pair of 323s or non gangwayed turbostars.

That’s optimistic. There’s no need to hide from the guard on a West Midlands Railway service. They do a perfectly good job of that themselves.

 

[RPI]

That’s optimistic. There’s no need to hide from the guard on a West Midlands Railway service. They do a perfectly good job of that themselves.

How true is that! I always thought they were like the SWR "non commercial" guards as you literally never see them leave the cabs on the cross-city line.

 

[Tester]

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!