Bradford Forster Square Redevelopment: Rumour that ticket office to close?

[Eric]

Slightly concerned by what the women in the travel centre have just told me.

They claim that when the redevelopment of the new Forster Square station is complete that there won't be a ticket office/travel centre anymore as Northern are replacing it with four new ticket machines and gate staff who will be out at the gates selling tickets.

The staff at Bradford Forster Square are being moved to Leeds.

Is this a new practice from Northern to replace travel centres/ticket offices with those stupid ticket machines that are troublesome.

Worrying.

 

[lincolnshire]

Its a sign of the times, if everyone keeps buying tickets on there phones or from on line ticket sellers and printing them out at stations then they have reduced the need for booking offices and staff at station.s.
Its the same as the banks everyone doing banking on-line or on phone so no need for a bank branch or if you do find one they are staffed by very few staff.

Its up to you the customer to decide what type of service you want?

 

[yorkie]

So passengers with Rail Travel Vouchers will be told to buy on the train (or at their destination)?

 

[johntea]

It is already happening to an extent anyway, the other day I went to Harrogate station at 6pm to try and resolve an issue but there was a whole one member of staff covering the ticket office!

 

[Eric]

It is already happening to an extent anyway, the other day I went to Harrogate station at 6pm to try and resolve an issue but there was a whole one member of staff covering the ticket office!

That’s my point, how much knowledge and know how will the people at the gates have?

Will you be able to purchase advance tickets with seat preferences ?

No disrespect to the gate operatives at Bradford Forster Square but one of them the other day was asked if the Ilkley train stopped at Frizinghall to which he replied have a look at the screen.

It’s going to be a recipe for disaster. Sad times.

 

[lincolnshire]

Am I right? but don,t the gate staff belong to STM agency staff dressed up in Northern uniforms?
The booking office staff in doors are proper Northern Staff I think you will find.

 

[Tim R-T-C]

You can't buy rovers/rangers via the ticket machines, can they issue them at the gateline? When I tried to get one at Steeton once, they just waved me onto the next train.

 

[Geeves]

Sounds a little like office gossip literally. There are quite a few staff based there who work for the prosecutions department and I can imagine it will be those staff which move to Leeds. That said the goal of Arriva is to have the staff out doors from behind the glass much like the staff for Virgin do at Birmingham international (and others).

 

[Bantamzen]

The consolution has only just finished, so there are no firm plans on the final design one way or another. However it does talk about a larger station buiding with a smaller building inside for ticket facilities, cafe and toilets. If the office was going, one would imagine that they TVMs could be located in the larger building so the mention of a separate facility in the internal structure suggests that it isn't going.

https://www.bradford.gov.uk/forstersquare

 

[whhistle]

So passengers with Rail Travel Vouchers will be told to buy on the train (or at their destination)?

Many companies are starting to offer refunds by BACS or PayPal, so the vouchers will soon be a thing of the past.

 

[yorkie]

Many companies are starting to offer refunds by BACS or PayPal, so the vouchers will soon be a thing of the past.

I'm not so sure. When do you think the last RTVs will be issued?

I also see no rush to make Rovers and Rangers available at TVMs or online.

So I wouldn't be surprised to see people being waved past barriers at stations with no ticket office for years to come.

 

[MotorcycleAlan]

They probably want to get rid of Rovers and Rangers anyway, very few people know about them, and making them harder to buy creates an ever decreasing demand so they can then say they are not needed. We have the service we seem to desire, as on a recent visit to M & S at Waterloo there was nobody at three manned tills being served but people waiting to use the self-service tills. Sadly some generations don't want to have human contact. Felt odd actually having a conversation with the till operator when normally the place is manic.

 

[DarloRich]

Is this a new practice from Northern to replace travel centres/ticket offices with those stupid ticket machines that are troublesome.

The ticket machines that thousands seem to use daily without problems? Why do posters here have such issues with them?

So passengers with Rail Travel Vouchers will be told to buy on the train (or at their destination)?

yes - but that will be a very small percentage of station users. I haven't had a voucher for ages and seem to get most refunds straight to my bank. I have even seen people get an amazon credit for delay repay! The number of passengers using such vouchers wont pay the wage of a a staff member and while the vouchers haven't gone yet they will eventually die out.

You can't buy rovers/rangers via the ticket machines, can they issue them at the gateline? When I tried to get one at Steeton once, they just waved me onto the next train.

But you can buy the tickets that most real people want to buy which is a return to Leeds. Lets be honest, who apart from us spottery types cares about Rovers?

We have the service we seem to desire, as on a recent visit to M & S at Waterloo there was nobody at three manned tills being served but people waiting to use the self-service tills

what are you scared of in using an automatic till? It is often quicker and easier than a human operator.

 

[MotorcycleAlan]

Not scared of using a till at all, at no point did I say or imply that. If you read again you will see I was mentioning that some prefer to avoid human contact. I prefer to engage with fellow humans. Just a personal preference and nothing to be scared of either way. But the fact remains if you don't use a service it will end.

 

[yorksrob]

I'm not sure why having people walking around with machines that won't sell the full range of tickets is so much better than having them behind a screen with full access to computers, routing guides, timetables etc.

 

[DarloRich]

Not scared of using a till at all, at no point did I say or imply that. If you read again you will see I was mentioning that some prefer to avoid human contact. I prefer to engage with fellow humans. Just a personal preference and nothing to be scared of either way. But the fact remains if you don't use a service it will end.

indeed and i suspect most people buy their tickets on line these days.

I'm not sure why having people walking around with machines that won't sell the full range of tickets is so much better than having them behind a screen with full access to computers, routing guides, timetables etc.

what tickets will they not sell? Rovers? Who, outside of us, in all honesty cares?

 

[Starmill]

But you can buy the tickets that most real people want to buy which is a return to Leeds. Lets be honest, who apart from us spottery types cares about Rovers?

I should imagine tens or hundreds of thousands of people a year.

What about a day return journey from Bradford to Addingham, a large town just a few miles away. Train to Ilkley followed by route 62 is quickest. Cheapest ticket for that? Bus & Train Day Rover. Or is it your view that nobody wants a journey on public transport from Bradford to Addingham apart from the "spottery".

 

[Starmill]

what tickets will they not sell? Rovers?

Photocards, season tickets longer than a week, railcards, new Metrocards, refund applications, tickets with a staff travel discount, season ticket changeovers, tickets from another station... (you have typically not thought this through).

 

[DarloRich]

I should imagine tens or hundreds of thousands of people a year. The first example journey I thought of was Bradford to Keighley. Two adults? Family Day Rover is the cheapest option. Or is it your view that only "spotters" (whatever that means) travel with a friend between Bradford and Keighley?

What about a single journey from Bradford to Addingham, a large town just a few miles away. Train to Ilkley followed by route 62 is quickest. Cheapest ticket for that? Bus & Train Day Rover. Or is it your view that nobody wants a single journey on public transport from Bradford to Addingham?

I suspect the actual number is about 15 a year! Most people don't know these tickets exist. Lots of staff don't know they exist, their validity or how to sell them! If I put the same journey (Bradford > Keighley) into National Rial enquirers ( the kind of software most normal people would use) it gives me two off peak adult returns for £9. Two returns to Leeds are £11.80. Is the WY family day rover not £12?

Most normal people using the train are going A>B NOT A>B>C>D>E>F>G>H>Z and back again via T

 

[Starmill]

Most people don't know these tickets exist.

The ticket office *reccomends* these tickets!

Then again if I had to pick someoe who would argue that only 15 people per year travel between one of Britain's biggest cities and a nearby town less than 15 miles away by public transport was 15 then it would be you.

You are disconnected from reality and have no interest in any facts which challenge your agenda that ticket offices are useful only to railway enthusiasts. I have no interest in arguing the point with someoe who shows such disdain for something that they personally do not use.

 

[DarloRich]

Photocards, season tickets longer than a week, railcards, new Metrocards, refund applications, tickets with a staff travel discount, season ticket changeovers, tickets from another station... (you have typically not thought this through).

and you, typically, are looking for niche issues and projecting them as if they are regular issues for normal travelers. They are not. The only issue I see is with season tickets and in West Yorkshire the metrocard. They are the ones that impact on real people and need thinking through.

Edit - the M card can be topped up via an app, at a number of railway ticket machines ( my GF tops hers up at Woodlesford) at bus stations, at railway stations or at one of about 700 shops in West Yorkshire.

 

[Starmill]

and you, typically, are looking for niche issues and projecting them as if they are regular issues for normal travelers. They are not.

A monthly season ticket isnt something purchased by a "normal traveller"? A railcard isn't something purchased right before travelling by a "normal traveller"? As usual you are talking total nonsense.

 

[DarloRich]

The ticket office *reccomends* these tickets!

You have a different experience to me. Not once has anyone at a ticket office offered me a rover ticket. I have had to ask for them then show them on the internet what they are and how much they cost! Sometimes they cant even find them on the computer system! That suggest they don't sell many!

Then again if I had to pick someoe who would argue that only 15 people per year travel between one of Britain's biggest cities and a nearby town less than 20 miles away by public transport was 15 then it would be you.

that isnt what i said at all. I said 15 rovers. You know this but as per usual are unable to deal with anyone disagreeing.

You are disconnected from reality and have no interest in any facts which challenge your agenda that ticket offices are useful only to railway enthusiasts. I have no interest in arguing the point with someoe who shows such disdain for something that they personally do not use.

I maintain: Most people buy their tickets away from a ticket office. it is rare that I need to ask for help form a ticket office. Other people might need more reassurance but most everyday tickets can be issued very easily from a machine.

A monthly season ticket isnt something purchased by a "normal traveller"? A railcard isn't something purchased right before travelling by a "normal traveller"? As usual you are talking total nonsense.

You are clearly unable to read. Try again. I said:

The only issue I see is with season tickets and in West Yorkshire the metrocard. They are the ones that impact on real people and need thinking through.

There is absolutely no reason a season ticket should not be available from a machine.

 

[Starmill]

There is absolutely no reason a season ticket should not be available from a machine.

What? You asked what products the machines don't sell and I told you. What ticket machine can dispense a photocard or issue an Annual season? Or a season for 8 months?

If you're going to deny that then that's your business. You asked a question and got an answer. Why ask if you don't like the answer?

as per usual are unable to deal with anyone disagreeing.

You have made a point, I've told you it's rubbish and explained why. If you've never travelled from Bradford to Addingham then why would you expect to be offered a Day Rover!? You suffer from the delusion that just because something isn't useful for your life it isn't useful for anyone.

 

[yorksrob]

indeed and i suspect most people buy their tickets on line these days.



what tickets will they not sell? Rovers? Who, outside of us, in all honesty cares?

I'm afraid I still don't see what is to be gained by replacing customer facing people who are fully equipped to sell all products with customer facing people who aren't fully equipped to sell all products.

In terms of rangers and rovers, I care that we have a dynamic and commercially astute railway industry that can market good products that the public would find potentially useful.

 

[greyman42]

Will these machines be issuing staff privs? If it will not be a problem then why don't they do it already?

 

[Ianigsy]

At a guess, Northern don't see the need to run two full service ticket offices in the same city- the answer for anything other than there and then tickets will be "go to the Interchange".

By the way, the West Yorkshire Day Rover is very attractively priced, particularly if you connect from one of the "lines" to another- I found by accident a couple of years back that it saved me about 20p on a Menston-Hebden Bridge day return.

 

[ooo]

Would it be possible to upgrade tvm software so they could sell advance tickets, rovers and seasons?

 

[Starmill]

Would it be possible to upgrade tvm software so they could sell advance tickets, rovers and seasons?

Yeah very easily. This is done elsewhere and has been for years - although it doesn't seem Northern are interested.

 

[lyndhurst25]

Maybe Northern are at least thinking about getting their TVMs to sell rovers.

https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/explorer-55
"Tickets are available to buy now and you can purchase these from ticket offices and on board our trains. Tickets will soon be available to buy on our website and via Ticket Vending Machines."

I still think that a station like Bradford Forster Square with over 2 million users per year should have a proper ticket office though.