Thameslink Keycard Validity Engineering works

[21C101]

If you have a season ticket on a Thsmeslink/GTR Keycard the rules say sternly that you must touch in and out every time or they will penalty fare you.

1) If the line is shut from Bedford to West Hampstead for engineeding works as it is tomorrow and you have to get a bus firstly to Luton, then Luton to Hitchin then train from Hitchin. How the 4X do you touch in when you are getting on a bus outside the station forecourt from a locked up station

2) If instead of a three hour journey from Flitwick to London via two buses and a train from Hitchin someone kindly gives you a lift to Arlesey, will your Flitwick to London Keycard ticket be valid from Arlesey to London (same TOC) and able to be touched in at Arlesey.

I can find nothing about this on the Thamesiink website, just threats to penalty fare you if you get it wrong.

 

[Watershed]

If you have a season ticket on a Thsmeslink/GTR Keycard the rules say sternly that you must touch in and out every time or they will penalty fare you.

1) If the line is shut from Bedford to West Hampstead for engineeding works as it is tomorrow and you have to get a bus firstly to Luton, then Luton to Hitchin then train from Hitchin. How the 4X do you touch in when you are getting on a bus outside the station forecourt from a locked up station

2) If instead of a three hour journey from Flitwick to London via two buses and a train from Hitchin someone kindly gives you a lift to Arlesey, will your Flitwick to London Keycard ticket be valid from Arlesey to London (same TOC) and able to be touched in at Arlesey.

I can find nothing about this on the Thamesiink website, just threats to penalty fare you if you get it wrong.

The rules say no such thing; there is no inherent requirement to touch in or out when you have a valid ticket on your smartcard, and no penalty for failing to do so.

Perhaps what you are thinking of is when you're using PAYG via Oyster, contactless or KeyGo? Here, touching in and out is naturally mandatory.

Similarly, with Flexi Seasons, you must activate a day's validity before travelling; this can be done using any validator or gateline, or even using a compatible app on your phone - and only needs to be done once for each day you would like to travel. Travelling with a non-activated Flexi Season would render you liable to all the usual penalties, but there is no penalty for failing to touch in or out once a day's validity has been activated.

I don't know whether ticket acceptance is in place for Flitwick passengers to travel from Arlesey instead - it would seem reasonable given the engineering works, but GTR would need to confirm whether or not that's the case.

 

[21C101]

but there is no penalty for failing to touch in or out once a day's validity has been activated.

• "All tickets held on The Key require validation at the start and end of the journey, failure to do so could lead to a penalty fare being issued"

https://www.thameslinkrailway.com/tickets/the-key-smartcard/the-key-smartcard-terms-and-conditions

 

[Watershed]

• "All tickets held on The Key require validation at the start and end of the journey, failure to do so could lead to a penalty fare being issued"

https://www.thameslinkrailway.com/tickets/the-key-smartcard/the-key-smartcard-terms-and-conditions

There would be no lawful basis for the Penalty Fare; a Penalty Fare can only be issued where you cannot produce a valid ticket, and a ticket doesn't cease to be valid through lack of validation.

Indeed, as far as an inspection is concerned, touching in a smartcard that is already loaded with a valid ticket doesn't change its status.

 

[21C101]

Just phoned and been told over the phone that the season ticket won't be accepted at Arlesey and must be used on the buses from Flitwick.

The journey time from Flitwick to St Pancras via bus to Luton and bus to Hitchin is 2h 35m.

Journey time from Arlesey is 49 minutes (Arlesey is 1 stop north of Hitchin).

They also say on national rail that bus operatora have been unable to provide the usual rail replacement vehicles so only a limited bus service will be provided.

This industry seems to be quietly cutting its own throat

 

[Watershed]

Just phoned and been told over the phone that the season ticket won't be accepted at Arlesey and must be used on the buses from Flitwick.

The journey time from Flitwick to St Pancras via bus to Luton and bus to Hitchin is 2h 35m.

Journey time from Arlesey is 49 minutes (Arlesey is 1 stop north of Hitchin).

They also say on national rail that bus operatora have been unable to provide the usual rail replacement vehicles so only a limited bus service will be provided.

This industry seems to be quietly cutting its own throat

Sadly, this is exactly the kind of ridiculous nonsense the industry keeps on putting out - and then it wonders why it has a bad reputation amongst the public!

 

[21C101]

Sadly, this is exactly the kind of ridiculous nonsense the industry keeps on putting out - and then it wonders why it has a bad reputation amongst the public!

Just been to the station. Told in no uncertain terms that you CAN use it from Arlesey during engineering works as tickets accepted on that route during engineering works. By both ticket clerk and his manager.

Advised NOT to touch in the Keycard at Arlesey and NOT to touch out at Kings Cross just show the ticket at the barrier.

Seems the call centre (which is either in Scotland or not in the UK - suspect the latter as delays on phone line suggested it was abroad) have no local knowledge and just went into "Computer Says No" mode

 

[Surreytraveller]

Obviously, local staff realise that the people running the organisation are rather clueless, and are simply using their discretion to try and keep people moving