Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
No, it isn't. But if the costs of employing more ticketing staff or installing more TVM are higher than the additional revenue that will be generated it just doesn't make business sense to do anything about it (the only thing I can think of is to issue PTT's and allow payment at the other end.
Cheap PERTIS machines would seem to be a good solution for a number of stations. Less susceptible to vandalism, and if they are vandalised cheaper to replace/repair.
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A proper, DfT authorised, penalty fare scheme requires every station to have any combination of a ticket office / TVM / Permit to Travel machine. Plus visible signage that the passenger / customer must walk past before boarding the their train.
Quite right, too.
Northern choose not to invest in the necessary pre-requisites for a proper penalty fare scheme and have been allowed (encouraged?) by DfT to go down their alternative route. It's easy to see why - it's cheaper and easier to operate.
And I have a massive problem with this.