I think it is time we looked at this debacle a little more hypthetically.
Why is this such an issue? London has a fully functioning system in place that can deal with millions of passengers a day. If such a system can be implemented and proved to be efficient in such a busy metropolis, why can it not be successfully introduced in Leeds? Perhaps some of the hapless 'experts' in charge ought to have a visit to TfL and learn a thing or two.
The point of the barriers at Leeds station is essentially to ensure the free flowing movement of passengers at busy times and to fight ticketless travel. They acheive neither of these goals. Nor have they decreased the reliance on staff at the entrance.
I have travelled to Leeds station on many occasions in the morning rush and not been sold a ticket. Before the ticket barriers were installed, the only reasonable course of action would be to queue at the solitary ticket office platform side for a ticket. Now, if one does not get sold a valid ticket and carries a used ticket, one can put it in the machine and get through without paying. It boggles the mind. Rather than taking a step forward in the fight against fare dodgers, a rather large one has been taken backwards. Not only that, but pre paid cards cannot be used, so one could argue that the flow of passengers has also been compromised.
I don't think it is fair, however, to pin the blame for the problem entirely on the barriers at Leeds. The whole passenger infrastructure on the network contributes to the situation. Why is it possible to get on a train in the first place without buying a ticket?
Here is what I think is a perfectly reasonable course of action:
Rather than being a waste of money as the OP has optioned, they are a very sensible idea that will be critical in reducing railway crime and ensuring any future growth in passenger numbers will be efficiently controlled as they pass through the station. They are currently only a faff due to them not being ready to be in service. As such, the barriers should be opened up whilst the problems are being ironed out, with random ticket checks from the same number of staff that already patrol and with a small but significant BTP presence (what else do they do anyway?). This will give the illusion that passengers will not be able to get away with fare dodging whilst at the same time, allowing free movement. Whilst all this is going on, efforts should be stepped up to, firstly, allow the system at Leeds to correctly identify tickets as well as work with pre paid and concessionary passes (which will take a number of months), implement ticket machine facilities at unstaffed stations and form a plan to barrier each and every station on the network, as this is the only way the the plan would work wholescale. It is pointless having a barrier at Leeds if a passenger who has travelled from Harrogate is able to buy a ticket that states Burley Park. If money is going to be spent with this problem in mind, it is entirley pointless only spending it at one station.
I also believe that the project could have been better implemented with a trial project at a smaller, yet significantly patronised, station such as Bradford Interchange or Forster Square. Lots of scope at both of these stations for thorough testing of the equipment and software but not being so busy that the initial testing phase would seriously affect passengers or entice ticketless travel.
