Unusual Tickets

[Starmill]

Hi guys!

Just wondered if anyone can help me out with what on earth this ticket is that I was issued yesterday morning, after much, much faffing by the lady at Manchester Piccadilly's ticket office (she actually asked me how much it costs!).

"EDUC" isn't something I've ever seen before, but when I queried it with her she insisted that it was correct for the pass I have.

THIS is what I normally get - "LACON" and I've been making this journey everyday for months now. This example was actually issued by the guard - who is apparently one of the few who knows how to do so.

The pass I have looks like this:

So.... please, out of interest more than anything else, which is correct? Is one type specific to Manchester or something? And how many of these 50% off fares are there out there!?

 

[Track Basher]

LACON - Local Authority Concession
EDUC - Educational Discount.

Not issued correctly!

 

[dvboy]

It wouldn't be a bad idea to carry with you an old correctly-issued ticket to show the less knowledgeable ticket office staff/guard what they should be issuing to you.

 

[Starmill]

It wouldn't be a bad idea to carry with you an old correctly-issued ticket to show the less knowledgeable ticket office staff/guard what they should be issuing to you.

Shouldda mentioned this but... I DID! I showed her the very ticket I've scanned after she printed up the "EDUC" one. But no, she insisted it was correct (after taking a closer look at my pass and asking about my age (over 16).

 

[hairyhandedfool]

To be fair to the clerk, the GMPTE/TfGM Scholar Pass is not mentioned in The Manual (at least not in the PTE section where it should be), I had to go to the GMPTE (TfGM) website to find out it was valid on the trains when I first saw one (and even then I had to download the application form to find that out!).

 

[Paul Kelly]

It wouldn't be a bad idea to carry with you an old correctly-issued ticket to show the less knowledgeable ticket office staff/guard what they should be issuing to you.

The ticket doesn't seem to have enough detail; "LACON" is very generic. This BRFares page seems to suggest the discount code to ask them to try in their machine is "MCT", although I'm not totally sure on that...

 

[hairyhandedfool]

The ticket doesn't seem to have enough detail; "LACON" is very generic. This BRFares page seems to suggest the discount code to ask them to try in their machine is "MCT", although I'm not totally sure on that...

'MCT' issues a 'LACON' discounted ticket, but is a Manchester Concessionary discount.

 

[Starmill]

Hmm. Most of that went straight over my head... I take it very few people use these cards on trains? As I've implied, guards/those G4S folk don't tend to recognise them. (I wondered if the problem was simply incompetence, but perhaps that's mean of me, and its just lack of information dissemination by the PTE).

I must say that I'm unconvinced by BRFares on the issue, because it says I can use my 16-25 railcard to buy these tickets for £2.90 when I'm doing MAU - Metrolink Zone E at the weekend (I can't use my scholars pass at weekends, or after 9pm). This has been disputed by every member of staff I've asked, forcing me to pay the full fare with the mantra "Metrolink don't accept Railcards!"
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Nobody going to take me up on that? Oh well. I'll print off a copy of the page and get one of them to investigate.
Few are much good for owt else.

 

[185]

Had a phone call from a colleague asking what a Lacon was. At first I thought it might be a suburb of Chester (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blacon) then it dawned on me it might be booking offices using the (what I know as) West Yorkshire coding.

The absolute answer is for journeys wholly within Greater Manchester Child Fare (not 'concession' or 'lacon') should be issued for those with half fare TfGM scholar passes, however Lacon would be acceptable, not much difference tbf.

For Y-P fares, I'm fairly certain it's the same as for Disabled and SNR railcards - the fares page on Avantix or Fastis would go blank / no fares available when the railcard discount is added, that may be an error on BrFares (they are quite few and far between).

The 'concession' fare on Metrolink's machines appears before 0930 and there is for those with Disabled passes (non-'concession plus' ones) who have to pay half fare in the morning peak.

 

[Starmill]

Had a phone call from a colleague asking what a Lacon was. At first I thought it might be a suburb of Chester (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blacon) then it dawned on me it might be booking offices using the (what I know as) West Yorkshire coding.

The absolute answer is for journeys wholly within Greater Manchester Child Fare (not 'concession' or 'lacon') should be issued for those with half fare TfGM scholar passes, however Lacon would be acceptable, not much difference tbf.

For Y-P fares, I'm fairly certain it's the same as for Disabled and SNR railcards - the fares page on Avantix or Fastis would go blank / no fares available when the railcard discount is added, that may be an error on BrFares (they are quite few and far between).

The 'concession' fare on Metrolink's machines appears before 0930 and there is for those with Disabled passes (non-'concession plus' ones) who have to pay half fare in the morning peak.

Wow. You learn something new everyday. I never knew that about the Metrolink TVMs.

BR Fares has never given me an erroneous fare before, so I might ask about it the next time I find a guard who isn't rushed off their feet (which is pretty much never MAN - MIA).

When you say "Greater Manchester Child Fare" do you literally just mean a child fare? Because that seems odd...

But thanks a lot, 185, that's really helpful! I'm intrigued by your notion of "West Yorkshire Coding" !

 

[yorkie]

... so I might ask about it the next time I find a guard who isn't rushed off their feet (which is pretty much never MAN - MIA)....

There are knowledgeable guards that work that route on this forum, you've probably had them as your guard at some point, without realising (I will recognise them as soon as I hear the announcement - if I've not seen them already!)

 

[Starmill]

There are knowledgeable guards that work that route on this forum, you've probably had them as your guard at some point, without realising (I will recognise them as soon as I hear the announcement - if I've not seen them already!)

The consistency of those announcements is actually fabulous, by the way.
Nearly always brings a smile to my face in the morning.
And, obviously I have no names-to-faces, but I often "recognise a guard" nowadays.

I do not doubt their knowledgeability or aptitude in the slightest.

It's just that, between the five stops, how can they really sell fares and get down the train and still release the doors on time? They're just too close!

And, as many have hinted at, this pass is not always recognised, which is probably TfGMs fault.

 

[SickyNicky]

For Y-P fares, I'm fairly certain it's the same as for Disabled and SNR railcards - the fares page on Avantix or Fastis would go blank / no fares available when the railcard discount is added, that may be an error on BrFares (they are quite few and far between).

Avantix Traveller does seem to offer DIS, YNG and SRN discounts on Metrolink Zonal fares in the example given (MAU to Metrolink Zone E).

 

[ainsworth74]

Avantix Traveller does seem to offer DIS, YNG and SRN discounts on Metrolink Zonal fares in the example given (MAU to Metrolink Zone E).

But it will also offer YNG discounts on non-advance first class fares and PRV discounts on non-Anytime fares so I'm not sure that's any indication.

 

[SickyNicky]

I assume, therefore, that this bug doesn't extend to Avantix Mobile?

 

[Mojo]

Avantix Traveller also offers Priv discounts on Plusbus tickets yet booking offices do not; their systems reject this.

 

[causton]

BRFares once (probably still does) offers/offered a PRIV-discounted Super Off Peak Travelcard from Brighton to Z1-6 for something like £2.50... however surprisingly ( ) it didn't show up on the TIS in the ticket office!

 

[Starmill]

I'm a bit confused really... I don't know what Avantix Traveller is, but does this mean I can buy the tickets from the guard, but not the booking office?

Or are the tickets simply not valid, regardless of if they can be printed or not?

 

[bb21]

It is a piece of software that contains the fares database.

Guards use Avantix Mobile machines, which should be set correctly regarding discounts, etc.

If a discount is not valid then you should not be sold it. Discounts are sometimes incorrectly applied in Avantix Traveller however the error should not be existent in the guard's Avantix Mobile machines.

 

[ainsworth74]

I don't know what Avantix Traveller is

Avantix Traveller is a piece of software available to buy for the public that contains the current National Fares Manual. Basically you type in two stations and any discounts (railcards for example) and it should tell you all the fares available for travel between those two station. It can be bought here or alternatively there is an on-line version here (though this is not an official website).

 

[Starmill]

It is a piece of software that contains the fares database.

Guards use Avantix Mobile machines, which should be set correctly regarding discounts, etc.

If a discount is not valid then you should not be sold it. Discounts are sometimes incorrectly applied in Avantix Traveller however the error should not be existent in the guard's Avantix Mobile machines.

I see, thanks I'll check next time it crops up, but it's likely just wishful thinking that the discounts will apply :cry: