Why does Liverpool Central have despatchers on the platform?

[Djgr]

MT have said 2025 and then it became delayed and now no date is known, also no one has actually said what their vision is of smart ticketing on Merseyside going forward, not MR or MT, the back office required for smart ticketing and payg is huge, also the software costs are massive.
I’ve yet to see a definitive scheme proposed, I suspect there’ll be a concrete proposal when the concession ends and MT (hope to) take it on.

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I agree, it amazes me how reading this thread that they’re tax payer gatekeepers when the northern line on MR is very heavily used compared to many urban lines in the UK.

Not just the Northern line. Try getting a seat on the Liverpool-Chester-Liverpool Wirral line on a Saturday

 

[frodshamfella]

This is a point those wishing away platform staff often ignore, and they may feel different if one day they are needing to use a wheelchair, or are less mobile due to an injury or medical condition. If the staff do go the fares won’t be going down, that’s for sure!

Many of the current assistance issues network wide are due to those remaining staff members being run ragged and spread too thinly. It’s also interesting to note that Merseyrail and London Overground both operate a model employing more staff than most operators, and both score consistently highly in performance and satisfaction surveys.

I agree, keep the human touch, we are too fast to get rid of staff and leave desolate platforms, its not progressive to my mind.

 

[whoosh]

Yet Thameslink are DOO driver dispatched at I think every single station now, using the same sort of camera kit on trains mostly three times the length? I can see the benefit of having platform staff on stations where a lot of occasional users are present and services are complex, though, but that's more to answer queries than for safety of dispatch.

Peterborough, Cambridge, Horsham, Brighton, are all station staff dispatch.

There are station staff at all Core platforms, and also at places such as Stevenage and Finsbury Park.

Despite Finsbury Park having staff, I find myself assisting someone pretty much every time I use the subway between platforms, so there obviously isnt enough of them.

I think having staff on a platform where trains go to many branches, and is underground away from a ticket office to enquire at, such as Liverpool Central, isn't unreasonable at all.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Jan 2025 ==

I agree, keep the human touch, we are too fast to get rid of staff and leave desolate platforms, its not progressive to my mind.

Ever used the Paris Metro?

You are utterly alone, and at the mercy of anyone.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Ever used the Paris Metro?

You are utterly alone, and at the mercy of anyone.

Paris has a specific crime problem and the solution to that is security staff and policing. Normal rail staff wouldn't be able to deal with it without threat to their safety.

 

[childwallblues]

Well I hope that the previous 94 posts has now convinced all that the requirement to have platform staff on Liverpool Centralis is a good idea.
PS I saw an advert on Facebook for a person to join the Merseyrail platform team.

 

[frodshamfella]

Peterborough, Cambridge, Horsham, Brighton, are all station staff dispatch.

There are station staff at all Core platforms, and also at places such as Stevenage and Finsbury Park.

Despite Finsbury Park having staff, I find myself assisting someone pretty much every time I use the subway between platforms, so there obviously isnt enough of them.

I think having staff on a platform where trains go to many branches, and is underground away from a ticket office to enquire at, such as Liverpool Central, isn't unreasonable at all.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Jan 2025 ==


Ever used the Paris Metro?

You are utterly alone, and at the mercy of anyone.

I have used it, not a lot. Safety of passengers is most important in my view.