Huddersfield RRB Ticket Inspection

[wellhouse]

Today I experienced for the very first time a RRB ticket inspection.

Huddersfield is closed through September for TRU works, and Replacement bis services run from the same stop to:

Brighouse
Barnsley
Stalybridge (direct)
Stalybridge (stoppers)
Dewsbury (stoppers, I presume)

The stop was well staffed to advise passengers, but for the first time in my experience, all tickets were being scanned.

Not complaining, but has this happened elsewhere?

 

[transportphoto]

Greater Anglia often task Conductors to revenue check rail replacement buses in their area (on boarding/alighting).

 

[pokemonsuper9]

I've had a ticket check at Manchester Victoria, I don't remember if it was when boarding or disembarking the bus (or both).

 

[fishwomp]

Wonder if penalty fares legislation covers rail replacement buses. Had a quick scan and - IANAL - I don't think it does..

The Railways (Penalty Fares) Regulations 2018

These Regulations make provision for the charging of penalty fares for the failure to produce, when required to do so, a ticket or other authority authorising a person to travel by train or to be present in a compulsory ticket area at a station.

www.legislation.gov.uk

''
2.—(1) These Regulations apply in relation to—

(a)a railway passenger service(1) within the scope of paragraph (2); and

(b)any station(2) at which a railway passenger service within the scope of paragraph (2) makes a scheduled call(3).
''
wirth railway passenger service defined in Railways Act 1993:

Railways Act 1993

An Act to provide for the appointment and functions of a Rail Regulator and a Director of Passenger Rail Franchising and of users’ consultative committees for the railway industry and for certain ferry services; to make new provision with respect to the provision of railway services and the...

www.legislation.gov.uk

.. '“railway passenger service” means any service for the carriage of passengers by railway;'

[a railway is also defined earlier as pretty much a track/guided thing]

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Wonder if penalty fares legislation covers rail replacement buses. Had a quick scan and - IANAL - I don't think it does..

the requirements for the display of notices specified in regulation 8 were not satisfied;

8.—(1) The requirements for the display of notices are as follows.

(2) Where any entrance onto a platform at the station is not the entrance to, or situated within, a compulsory ticket area, a notice complying with the requirements of paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 1 (“a standard notice”) must be displayed at that entrance.

Does a bus stop count as a platform? I'm not aware of any penalty fare signage having been put up at rail replacement bus stops.

Either way if checked they can at least sell a ticket.

 

[185]

Was aware on an incident not too long ago at the back of a station where a RRB driver had not only checked tickets, but apparently also had the TTK app for scanning.

Turns out they were ex-railway staff and were turning 10-15 ticketless passengers away, who thought the buses were free. Aparently BTP then started having a go at the driver for causing a fuss 'over just a ticket', but needless to say the driver put him right... probably nearly got arrested but our BTP gentleman apparently walked off fuming

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Aparently BTP then started having a go at the driver for causing a fuss 'over just a ticket',

There are entire departments dedicated to causing a fuss over tickets! Good to see a driver being proactive.

 

[exbrel]

a few years ago so cannot remember from where, but to Milton Keynes, but the bus driver would not accept my retired staff travel card, and i had to pay £5, so when i got off i enquired at MK enquires and was refunded...

 

[Watershed]

Perfectly legitimate to check tickets and refuse travel to those who don't have a valid one (provided the usual opportunities to buy are still available at the station).

However Penalty Fares can't be issued, nor do the usual railway laws (e.g. the Byelaws or RoRA) apply so checks after alighting are fairly pointless. They have to be before boarding.

 

[fwsmVor]

Is it reasonable to expect people to walk sometimes a considerable distance to the station to buy a ticket, then walk all the way back? This is often (in the country) about half a mile down a busy unlit road.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Is it reasonable to expect people to walk sometimes a considerable distance to the station to buy a ticket, then walk all the way back? This is often (in the country) about half a mile down a busy unlit road.

Yes.
If you want to travel by train you need a ticket, there is no difference if that's a bus.

There aren't many places that don't have e-ticket avaliability, so it's not a big ask.

 

[30907]

Is it reasonable to expect people to walk sometimes a considerable distance to the station to buy a ticket, then walk all the way back? This is often (in the country) about half a mile down a busy unlit road.

It isn't, and it would be unusual to have a check at said stop or even at all.

This thread concerns buses departing from outside stations in urban areas.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

I would be in favour of RRBs having ticket checks when boarding, with the ability to sell a ticket on the spot.
I entirely understand why they're not (on trains you make more with prosecustions and penalty fares) but surely getting RRB passengers to pay their fare would make some money.

 

[Hadders]

I think there’ll be more ticket checks on RRBs, too many treating it as a free ride and checking tickets is relatively straightforward.

 

[Edsmith]

Is it reasonable to expect people to walk sometimes a considerable distance to the station to buy a ticket, then walk all the way back? This is often (in the country) about half a mile down a busy unlit road.

Totally unreasonable to expect anybody to do that and generally common sense is applied.

The only ticket check I've seen on a RRB was when the driver wanted to get some kids off who were behaving anti socially, if they had behaved they could have had a free ride but they ended up walking instead.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Sep 2025 ==

I would be in favour of RRBs having ticket checks when boarding, with the ability to sell a ticket on the spot.
I entirely understand why they're not (on trains you make more with prosecustions and penalty fares) but surely getting RRB passengers to pay their fare would make some money.

It's often difficult to get enough drivers for RRB services anyway, it would be even more difficult if they were expected to sell tickets as well.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

it would be even more difficult if they were expected to sell tickets as well.

I was thinking more Guards/RPIs either checking at boarding points at big stations, or travelling along for a stop or two and checking tickets while they move (although I don't think coach drivers would like someone stood up)

 

[Caleb2010]

Many moons ago during the resignalling between Chichester and Havant (late 80’s if memory serves correct) rail replacement services stopping at intermediate stations were ‘crewed’ using RPI’s - as they were then called. They acted as conductors.

 

[Ken_Ilworth]

Unscientific anecdote, but I've only ever seen _one_ RRB "ticket check" and - possibly like the experience of @Edsmith - it was probably a ruse to avoid carrying some youngsters. The RRB (for me) was Hemel Hempstead to Leighton Buzzard. At Berkhamstead a group of youngsters started to get on and one of the girls asked "Is this for Milton Keynes?" . "Yes", the RRB driver answered, "..but do you have tickets?". "For the rave?", the girl answered. "NO - for the train!" (well,..RRB). The driver sent them off to the ticket machine....and left without them. He was broadly on time as I remember, so fair enough I guess..
(Hopefully they eventually got to their rave on the next RRB whilst holding tickets..)

 

[Caleb2010]

Well, in the 30years I drove rail replacement services I can definitely say it happened more frequently than you may think!

 

[Edsmith]

I was thinking more Guards/RPIs either checking at boarding points at big stations, or travelling along for a stop or two and checking tickets while they move (although I don't think coach drivers would like someone stood up)

Possibly at big stations but it probably wouldn't be worthwhile at smaller stations. I suspect rail staff might take the view that getting on buses checking tickets was outside of their remit.

 

[TravelDream]

Today I experienced for the very first time a RRB ticket inspection.

I've seen TFW do it quite a lot. Not onboard, but a sort of bloackade at start/ end stations.

 

[JBuchananGB]

Back in the days of Newbury Park to Billericay RRBs (Crossrail construction between Shenfield and Stratford) I actually tried online to buy a Billericay to Newbury Park ticket, as I would be using Oyster from Newbury Park onwards. It proved too difficult and I gave up. There were no checks at either end when I used the bus.

 

[chris_in_salop]

There should not be ticket checks on rail replacement buses.

 

[1D54]

There should not be ticket checks on rail replacement buses.

We sometimes see RRB on the WCML from Preston to Glasgow Central and I'm sure those intent on a freebie would wholeheartedly agree with the above.

 

[JonathanH]

There should not be ticket checks on rail replacement buses.

Why? They aren't put on to provide people with a free ride. As with any sort of fare evasion that means less money to the transport operator, and that costs someone money.

I recall a rail replacement bus driver refusing some passengers at Earley on the A329 stop heading into Reading without tickets. He said to me that he did so because by taking them for free the ordinary bus would lose that revenue. If that happens the revenue loss affects how much money the transport operator makes. That in turn threatens jobs.

 

[noddingdonkey]

The only time I ever encountered it was on an RRB at Huddersfield during the Leeds remodeling 25 years ago.

The bus was late and the check was carried out after passengers had boarded, causing further delay - especially as the person checking had no revenue equipment and had to refer those with no ticket to the booking office, causing further delay as they gathered their belongings. This was pre penalty fares when paying on the train was common practice.

Such checks had been unheard of during that blockade and a number of passengers (with tickets) expressed their annoyance at the further delay - on top of the bid being late and taking so much longer then the train) in forthright terms.

 

[ThisIsSurbiton]

I think I said this last time, but I don't think bus drivers should be checking tickets personally as they can't all do it (mostly can't) and there isn't the time anyway. They're railway tickets and it's up to The Railway to make sure people have them. Or make eTickets ubiquitous, then the drivers could have an app, or a modified ticket machine, to check them, and the same kit would provide real-time, which IMHO should have been mandatory on replacement buses for the last 15 years at least. Just starting to happen now so better late than never.

It's a world of RRBs here today, with no way to make a Pay As You Go journey. Should I have to pay more? I don't think so. Because it's usually at the weekend the Network Railcard discount brings the fare back down to something close to the PAYG fare, so I do that. Not sure what I'd do otherwise, it's unsatisfactory that some people are travelling for nothing and that some are forced to over-pay.

 

[Falcon1200]

but the bus driver would not accept my retired staff travel card, and i had to pay £5

If that had been me I would have refused to pay or leave the bus - How does a bus driver think they know what a valid rail ticket is?!!

There should not be ticket checks on rail replacement buses.

There should be, but only by competent railway staff, to avoid situations such as that above.

 

[noddingdonkey]

It's a world of RRBs here today, with no way to make a Pay As You Go journey. Should I have to pay more? I don't think so .

The unavailability of of cheap advance tickets during planned disruption tends to mean that you do pay more to endure the RRB

 

[OhNoAPacer]

Another advantage of doing ticket checks on an RRB, apart from the obvious revenue protection, is that it helps make sure someone isn’t getting on the wrong bus.