Thameslink ticket to Camden Town Station

[RSF]

I travel from Radlett to Kentish Town on the Thameslink. I usually purchase a Radlett + zones 2 - 6 travelcard so that I can take the bus or underground to Camden Town.

I have discovered that if I buy a Radlett - Kentish Town (Thameslink only) travelcard it opens the barriers at Camden Town LU station. The travelcard states "any permitted route".

Is this a legitimate journey or fare evasion?

Thanks

 

[hairyhandedfool]

If by "Radlett - Kentish Town (Thameslink only) travelcard" you mean a point to point season ticket for journeys between Radlett and Kentish town (these stations will both be named on the ticket), I think you already know the answer and that is that it is fare evasion.

If you mean a Travelcard (that has Radlett and some zones named on the ticket) there is no problem.

Please bear in mind ATOC and many of the TOCs are known to read these forums, so you might see some extra ticket inspectors floating around in the near future.

 

[SussexMan]

Please bear in mind ATOC and many of the TOCs are known to read these forums, so you might see some extra ticket inspectors floating around in the near future.

Are you seriously suggesting that on the back of one post a TOC will send some extra ticket inspectors to a station in the very, very remote possibility that they will find the OP evading a fare? Doesn't seem like the most efficient method of deploying resources.

Maybe we should ask RSF to explain a little more by the term "Radlett - Kentish Town (Thameslink only) travelcard".

 

[34D]

Are you seriously suggesting that on the back of one post a TOC will send some extra ticket inspectors to a station in the very, very remote possibility that they will find the OP evading a fare? Doesn't seem like the most efficient method of deploying resources.

They can ask LU to check whether the Camden Town barriers are passing any tickets that they should reject..... Simple enough to check.

I'm also curious to know what is held.

 

[RSF]

The weekly ticket was actually purchased in error as the ticket office was closed and the self service machines do not seem sell 2 -6 travelcards but only point to point season tickets, in this case Radlett to Kentish Town accompanied by the words "permitted route".

Therefore I suppose my original question should have been: "Do the words "permitted route" on a Radlett to Kentish Town season ticket allow passage through Camden station (for whatever reason) seeing as the ticket opens the gates"

 

[MikeWh]

Are you seriously suggesting that on the back of one post a TOC will send some extra ticket inspectors to a station in the very, very remote possibility that they will find the OP evading a fare? Doesn't seem like the most efficient method of deploying resources.

Last year someone commented that he thought lots of people were leaving Hither Green without tickets. The very next day Southeastern organised a block on the station which was quite fruitful, apparently. Coincidence? We'll never be 100% sure.

 

[MarkyMarkD]

They can ask LU to check whether the Camden Town barriers are passing any tickets that they should reject..... Simple enough to check.

I'm also curious to know what is held.

Given that it's presumably LU losing the income, shouldn't it be LU who are bothered about this rather than the TOC? Or is the process for allocating share of revenue on Travelcards so arcane that it isn't that straightforward?

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Are you seriously suggesting that on the back of one post a TOC will send some extra ticket inspectors to a station in the very, very remote possibility that they will find the OP evading a fare?....

One post? No. One person posting, potentially millions reading it and potentially more who already know? Yes.

The weekly ticket was actually purchased in error as the ticket office was closed and the self service machines do not seem sell 2 -6 travelcards but only point to point season tickets, in this case Radlett to Kentish Town accompanied by the words "permitted route".

Therefore I suppose my original question should have been: "Do the words "permitted route" on a Radlett to Kentish Town season ticket allow passage through Camden station (for whatever reason) seeing as the ticket opens the gates"

Permitted routes are defined by the NRCoC and the National Rail Routeing Guide. In this case, a point to point season ticket would not be valid for travel on London Underground services. The ability to open the ticket barriers does not affect the permitted routes.

 

[hluraven]

Last year someone commented that he thought lots of people were leaving Hither Green without tickets. The very next day Southeastern organised a block on the station which was quite fruitful, apparently. Coincidence? We'll never be 100% sure.

I am not surprised, I used to live in/commute from Hither Green. On a normal day one or two people would be queuing for a ticket, Mondays maybe 5, first Monday of the month maybe 10. First Monday in January, maybe 100 people queuing most of the way down the ramp.

If ticket inspectors were there, the queue for tickets was out to the street, over 200 people easily. The amount of ticketless travel from there was horrific, but I would expect it to drop off sharply when Waterloo East gets fully gated in the next couple of months.

 

[RJ]

Are you seriously suggesting that on the back of one post a TOC will send some extra ticket inspectors to a station in the very, very remote possibility that they will find the OP evading a fare? Doesn't seem like the most efficient method of deploying resources.

Never underestimate the effect of what is put in the public domain. There are some lurkers on here with some swing when it comes to ticketing and revenue!