Why is my smartcard only activating some barriers?

[SandsofEss]

I hold an annual season ticket for journeys on the Southeastern network, valid from Staplehurst to Frant.

I recently renewed my ticket while at Kings Cross station, which was issued on an LNER smartcard (until now I've held paper tickets).

My smartcard will activate the barriers at Tonbridge, but not Tunbridge Wells (both intermediate stations on the route). As TBW is the barriered station I use most often, I'm keen to fix this.

I've spoken to a few members of staff on the gateline and at the ticket office, but none of them can diagnose the issue. The ticket is apparently loaded correctly.

Does anybody here have any insight into what might be causing the problem please?

 

[CyrusWuff]

By default, ticket barriers will only accept tickets issued to or from the station they're at. TOCs can ask their gate supplier to add or remove stations from the list, which can be different for conventional tickets, barcode and Smartcards.

Presumably Tonbridge's settings are less restrictive than those at Tunbridge Wells.

 

[SandsofEss]

Ah ok, thank you.

I never used to have this issue with my paper ticket, but if acceptance can be programmed differently for ticket types then that explains it.

So my options are either:
1) Lobby Southeastern to reprogram the gates at Tunbridge Wells
2) Change my ticket destination from Frant to Tunbridge Wells
3) Live with the constant rejection

 

[CyrusWuff]

That's about the size of it. Next time you go through, try to make a note of the two or three digit rejection code and message that comes up on the display as that will help Southeastern's retail team to work out what the problem is.

 

[SandsofEss]

Error 57 - which I believe suggests you’re right that the gate isn’t programmed to accept starting short on smartcard season tickets.

I wonder if any forummers work in relevant roles at Southeastern? I’ll fire off an email to customer services, but imagine a missive from a customer asking for a gateline to be reprogrammed will be given short shrift!