There is nothing simpler than an Advance. It is valid on the trains printed on it.
Yet its still an issue.
However it may not be relevent, as its been an issue time immemorial, and isnt unique to rail either.
The issue is the mode used to accommodate the ticket.
A flat battery on my phone would not prevent me, or criminalise me for catching my flight, bus, ferry, cruise ship, cinema ticket …. Etc etc…
Most have a simple, rational back up plan. (Ie a printer on hand or an agent to fix it).
And most other industries have far less confusing ticketing options… does any other country have an equivalent of “London terminals”, which despite the wording,
i. doesnt apply to the terminus of every london bound train, you might be sat on and
ii. excludes some terminals based on your approach from a compass point bearing onto a geological act of the last ice age and
iii. expect every passenger regardless of race, sex, age, religion or nationality to be fully conversant in it, and those travelling with them and
iv. without a ticket agent to sell it to them ?
our ticketing system is way too complicated, even ticket staff are confused by it. Shifting the load further onto the customer, without simplfying it, and maintaining the punitive levels is irrational. Its just asking for pain and backlash.
Sure move to all phone ticketing, and close ticketing and machines, but have a “backup” plan, and make buying tickets simpler / less error prone Or with corrective options.
On another thread i’m opposed to tfl exiting day travelcards.. its so simple is virtually foolproof… we need more, not less of these simple solutions.
