Every Tube ticket office to close

[Clip]

Anyone else think it's an absolute disgrace that TfL are getting away with this????

Or like most mugs in London, have fallen for the carrot of night trains which are next to useless for most Londoners?

But with most people in London now using Oyster and contactless cards there is no real need for ticket offices!!

That's the perils of smartcards and will be the same when a suitable product becomes available across the mainline rail network. And people here clamour for smartcards!

 

[ScotGG]

There's a need for ticket offices if people can't add things to oyster that is currently only possible at ticket offices.

If TfL had allowed platform staff to do it one way or another then not such a problem but they havn't.

Plus ticket offices are still busy when I often pass with visitors and tourists. Last time I passed one and about 5-10 people waiting. I can see scrums around the poor platform staff and more vulnerable people such as the disabled stuck behind people crowding around not being able to get attention or assistance.

 

[jon0844]

I'm not sure it will be that bad, and staff (and TfL in general) are pretty aware of people with disabilities.

Most people don't queue up as it is, bar terminal stations (and especially places like King's Cross) which I think keep visitor centres, so I am not sure they'll all begin crowding around staff.

But, if it happens, we'll have to then see how it can be resolved.

 

[PermitToTravel]

The night tube is going to bring a lot of benefits to London, make no mistake. It's not a gimmick and it is something that should have happened a long time ago.

As for ticket offices, I'm genuinely still in two minds. On the one hand, most people use a ticket office once in a blue moon; between Oyster PAYG and period season tickets, most people don't go near a ticket office. But on the other hand I don't think that conducting complicated transactions on a busy ticket concourse is a brilliant idea, and even if the machines can theoretically do the transactions I think that in practice often people will simply be referred to the 0845 Oyster helpline (not through laziness but because one member of staff can't be sorting out three machine error messages at the same time, as you see with Tesco self checkouts).

To TfL's credit, it's now a far more fair 0345 number

 

[Dstock7080]

Most people don't queue up as it is, bar terminal stations (and especially places like King's Cross) which I think keep visitor centres, so I am not sure they'll all begin crowding around staff.

King's Cross TfL Visitor Centre reopens today, 3 April.

"The new facilities will have a more modern, retail feel with sales counters, dedicated information areas and roaming Visitor Centre agents to help customers. At the Centres visitors will be able to:
- Plan their visit and onward journey
- Purchase tickets for airport connections and TfL travel, including Oyster Pay As You Go
- Buy tickets for London attractions and theatre shows
- Sign up for sightseeing tours in London and the UK
- Buy Emirates Airline, River and London Transport Museum tickets and TfL merchandise.

Mike Brown, Managing Director of London Underground, said:
‘I’ve had a peek behind the hoardings at King’s Cross and work’s progressing well. I have no doubt that the new Visitor Centres will greatly improve the experience of the 29 million visitors to London each year.’

A total of six TfL Travel Information Centres are being transformed into Visitor Centres during Spring and Summer 2015, and two new centres will be introduced at Paddington and Gatwick.

After King’s Cross, the next to open will be:
May – Paddington and Piccadilly Circus
June – Victoria and Liverpool Street
July – Euston
September – Heathrow T123
A Visitor Centre at Gatwick airport is already open.

Visitor Centres are an important addition to our stations and will be an integral part of the service we give to our passengers. Opening hours will be based around the peak periods of the day for visitors at each site, but centres will always be open between 08:00 and 18:00."

 

[bluegoblin7]

King's Cross TfL Visitor Centre reopens today, 3 April.

Pushed back to tomorrow.
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If TfL had allowed platform staff to do it one way or another then not such a problem but they havn't.

We can do most things on machines with further functionality planned.

 

[simple simon]

Pushed back to tomorrow.
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We can do most things on machines with further functionality planned.

Can you print out a journey record? (better still, can passengers do this?)

I do not access my Oystercards online, I much prefer to fulfil such transactions at stations. I prefer the small paper roll sized journey records, rather than A4 paper sized records.

Simon

 

[bluegoblin7]

Can you print out a journey record? (better still, can passengers do this?)

I do not access my Oystercards online, I much prefer to fulfil such transactions at stations. I prefer the small paper roll sized journey records, rather than A4 paper sized records.

Simon

Alas not - and to the best of my knowledge it isn't on the horizon at the moment either. I believe you'll still be able to get a print out at the VCs and at London Overground-staffed stations, though.

Sadly though the vast majority of Oyster users (IME) *do* check their journey histories online or on the POMs and have no need to print out journey records anymore, so I'm not sure the demand is there.

 

[PermitToTravel]

Alas not - and to the best of my knowledge it isn't on the horizon at the moment either. I believe you'll still be able to get a print out at the VCs and at London Overground-staffed stations, though.

I believe they're also available on buses too, in theory

 

[Be3G]

I believe they're also available on buses too, in theory

Indeed. I've never had one printed myself, but I have seen a person get on a bus and have a problem with her Oyster; after a bit of discussion, the driver produced a long printout for her which looked suspiciously like one of those technical printouts that list every Oyster detail (as available from remaining tube ticket offices) plus a journey history.

 

[RJ]

The ones printed on buses use NLCs rather than station names, bus usage is clear enough though. I printed some test statements when I drove buses, not that any passengers ever asked for one.

 

[infobleep]

In all honesty, I think it's a good thing. No staff are actually losing their jobs (they're just not getting people to replace those leaving), there just being brought out into the stations. I don't know what use a ticket office has now, a ticket machine can do everything the ticket office can do. It may require a member of staff to carry it out but most ticket machines (all?) can have a back-end system that is only accessible by staff. I know at Tesco our self service machines have a hidden system that means staff could in theory staff the self service machines as they have the same functionality in the staff-only section that normal checkouts have.



Someone is a 'mug' just because they think something different to you?

Night trains useless for most Londoners? Maybe, we should wait and find out? Everyone I've spoken to is happy about it because they can spend longer in town and not have to worry about getting a night bus or a last tube. In turn, it brings in more money since people will spend more money in town.

Night tube trains are a fantastic idea. In Hamburg the metro runs all night on Fridays and Saturdays and has done since at least I first visited in 2006!
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Pushed back to tomorrow.
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We can do most things on machines with further functionality planned.

Does that mean all the functionality of the existing ticket office will be in place by December?

I only go to the ticket office to load rail card discounts onto Oyster cards.

 

[a729]

Night tube trains are a fantastic idea. In Hamburg the metro runs all night on Fridays and Saturdays and has done since at least I first visited in 2006!
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Does that mean all the functionality of the existing ticket office will be in place by December?

I only go to the ticket office to load rail card discounts onto Oyster cards.

The ability to interrogate paper tickets will be virtually lost- useful if someone gets a 51 error and denies using it!

I've heard that each station will still retain a TOM -although it's usage will be strongly discouraged!

 

[bluegoblin7]

I've heard that each station will still retain a TOM -although it's usage will be strongly discouraged!

Correct. It will pretty much only be allowed to be used to refund bus & tram passes that are bought accidentally and replaced with correct travelcards.
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Does that mean all the functionality of the existing ticket office will be in place by December?

I only go to the ticket office to load rail card discounts onto Oyster cards.

A lot of it - such as loading on Oyster discounts - is already in place. It isn't all being transferred over (some functions will move to Visitor Centres whilst others will only be possible via the help line) but the majority is, including journey resolutions, Oyster discounts, failed Oyster card replacement (coming soon) and manual charge functionality.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Will these Visiter Centres allow people other than visiters to use there facilitties for doing more complex things e.g. Applying a railcard, purchasing Bus passes etc, or will the mentioned Visiter Agents check your Postcode first and if your found to be a fully paid up resident of Catford pack you off to a ticket machine?
Asking because this thread shows that there are many who would much rather do certain things face to face and not on the phone or online.

 

[bluegoblin7]

Will these Visiter Centres allow people other than visiters to use there facilitties for doing more complex things e.g. Applying a railcard, purchasing Bus passes etc, or will the mentioned Visiter Agents check your Postcode first and if your found to be a fully paid up resident of Catford pack you off to a ticket machine?
Asking because this thread shows that there are many who would much rather do certain things face to face and not on the phone or online.

I would think it goes without saying that they are accessible to all prospective travellers, visitors or otherwise, however they are certainly *aimed* at visitors - most regular travellers will be better off seeking out LU staff for assistance at the ticket machines.

 

[bicbasher]

In all honesty, I think it's a good thing. No staff are actually losing their jobs (they're just not getting people to replace those leaving), there just being brought out into the stations. I don't know what use a ticket office has now, a ticket machine can do everything the ticket office can do.

The LU ticket office is still the only place where annual seasons can be purchased, along with the Oyster Usage Statements can be printed, although I'm one of the few people who used the latter service.

Railcards and B&T discount photocards can be added at the POM's with staff intervention.

Incidentally LOROL have started selling Oyster Cards at some selected station TVM's.

 

[island]

The LU ticket office is still the only place where annual seasons can be purchased, along with the Oyster Usage Statements can be printed, although I'm one of the few people who used the latter service.

Railcards and B&T discount photocards can be added at the POM's with staff intervention.

Incidentally LOROL have started selling Oyster Cards at some selected station TVM's.

I am to understand that TfL (in which expression for the avoidance of pedantry I include all its subsidiaries) intends that annual Travelcard purchases should be made online in the post-LUL-ticket-office world. (It follows that the gold record card will be posted and must then be taken to a station for the Railcard discount to be added with the help of a staff member at a POM.)

 

[jon0844]

Will these Visiter Centres allow people other than visiters to use there facilitties for doing more complex things e.g. Applying a railcard, purchasing Bus passes etc, or will the mentioned Visiter Agents check your Postcode first and if your found to be a fully paid up resident of Catford pack you off to a ticket machine?
Asking because this thread shows that there are many who would much rather do certain things face to face and not on the phone or online.

As I don't live at King's Cross station, I assume I count as a visitor at all times!

 

[infobleep]

I am to understand that TfL (in which expression for the avoidance of pedantry I include all its subsidiaries) intends that annual Travelcard purchases should be made online in the post-LUL-ticket-office world. (It follows that the gold record card will be posted and must then be taken to a station for the Railcard discount to be added with the help of a staff member at a POM.)

Why can't they add the gold card discount before sending out the annual travel card ticket?

 

[island]

Why can't they add the gold card discount before sending out the annual travel card ticket?

The gold card discount is set on the card and not on a central server. I am to understand that whilst products and credit can be sent for collection to a gateline, there is no such facility for discount entitlements.

 

[infobleep]

The gold card discount is set on the card and not on a central server. I am to understand that whilst products and credit can be sent for collection to a gateline, there is no such facility for discount entitlements.

Thanks for that. Can they not set it on the card before despatch or are we purely talking about adding season tickets to cards that are already held.

Perhaps they could upgrade the facilities to allow collection from gatelines. Of course that would require people to make journeys but they could off both forms, ticket machine and gateline.

 

[Be3G]

I am to understand that TfL (in which expression for the avoidance of pedantry I include all its subsidiaries) intends that annual Travelcard purchases should be made online in the post-LUL-ticket-office world.

This is going to be a faff if it also applies to renewing annual bus passes. They are technically available from Oyster ticket stops, but buying from one means having to withdraw over £800 pounds in cash, which means finding a bank branch that's open at a convenient time (perish the thought) or making trips to cash machines over the course of several days. Sigh. I do love it when customer service is ‘improved’.

 

[infobleep]

This is going to be a faff if it also applies to renewing annual bus passes. They are technically available from Oyster ticket stops, but buying from one means having to withdraw over £800 pounds in cash, which means finding a bank branch that's open at a convenient time (perish the thought) or making trips to cash machines over the course of several days. Sigh. I do love it when customer service is ‘improved’.

What about using a credit card or debit card to buy in a shop? How else do you pay at a LU ticket office?

 

[Blindtraveler]

Last Ticket Stop I tried to use didn't like me paying by debit or credit card, even for a small top up. This annoyed me greatly and as a result its been paper tickets or contactless since. Contactless is great but for me personally is not the best value as I have a railcard. Its fine for buses, river or Tramlink however, otherwise its a Paper Travelcard, bought at my origin station. A great example for a visitor.

 

[infobleep]

Last Ticket Stop I tried to use didn't like me paying by debit or credit card, even for a small top up. This annoyed me greatly and as a result its been paper tickets or contactless since. Contactless is great but for me personally is not the best value as I have a railcard. Its fine for buses, river or Tramlink however, otherwise its a Paper Travelcard, bought at my origin station. A great example for a visitor.

Did they just not like you using your debit card or do they refuse permission to use it. If it she former I person wouldn't care. If it's the latter then I can see that being an issue.

 

[Dent]

Last Ticket Stop I tried to use didn't like me paying by debit or credit card, even for a small top up.

Are you sure it wasn't that they didn't like you using a card because it was a small amount?

It's quite common for small businesses to either set a minimum card transaction or at least discourage card use for small amounts because they cost proportionately more to process.

 

[Be3G]

What about using a credit card or debit card to buy in a shop? How else do you pay at a LU ticket office?

The newsagents around here don't have any facility that I'm aware of to accept cards, only cash. I assumed that was commonplace but perhaps in other localities card acceptance is more common.

 

[Blindtraveler]

I was just not allowed to use a card of any kind. He had the facilitty to take it but said he couldnt and wouldnt, despite the fact I was wishing to top up around £15 in addition to buying a £2 lotto ticket as well as the usual supplies 1 needs having flown down on a cheepo airline with hand baggage to stay 3 nights in an equally cheepo hotel - pint of Milk, Shower Gell, Dioderant, Water, Juice, Chocky Bisckits etc - all totaling around £30 including topup. As I say, I decided to stick to contactless or Paper Tickets.

My fear is that whilst TFL Have to there creddit looked after there own and made the effort with staff, the potential extra load on ticket stops iether due to lack of available machines or other factors will result in inconvenience to travelers. I want to be wrong though as bringing staff out to deal with customers is so good in so many ways.

 

[PermitToTravel]

I feel like TfL should handle card fees for the merchants. They could possibly, like PayPoint, provide card processing equipment and merchant services themselves, which could be a decent revenue stream if they allowed said retailers to use it for other sales.