Yesterday, 2 adults travelling from Holmes Chapel to Chester and return same day, I bought my tickets at the Northern Ticket Vending Machine at Holmes Chapel station. Using the journey planner functionality, and putting in 2 adults travelling, no railcards, I was sold a "Small Group Day" return ticket (£22.80 for 2 adults) and informed by the TVM that this ticket was valid for my journey.
Now, I was slightly suspicious about this and checked on the Transport for Wales website at the "Small Group Day" tickets where it states that these are for 3-9 adults travelling together, however the TVM still sold me these as valid. At no point did a human check my tickets, and the barriers at Chester happily swallowed them up, so no issues on the journey. I did query it with the staff at Crewe who were equally perplexed though and suggested should I be queried to state that I was sold them as valid by the TVM.
Is this just a case of Northern's TVMs selling invalid tickets since the new update? And how much onus should be placed on the passenger to check the tickets are correct when sold something as 'valid' by a TVM?
Now, I was slightly suspicious about this and checked on the Transport for Wales website at the "Small Group Day" tickets where it states that these are for 3-9 adults travelling together, however the TVM still sold me these as valid. At no point did a human check my tickets, and the barriers at Chester happily swallowed them up, so no issues on the journey. I did query it with the staff at Crewe who were equally perplexed though and suggested should I be queried to state that I was sold them as valid by the TVM.
Is this just a case of Northern's TVMs selling invalid tickets since the new update? And how much onus should be placed on the passenger to check the tickets are correct when sold something as 'valid' by a TVM?
