Age issues at barriered stations

[221129]

Hi all
I am 14 and as such i travel on child tickets which i am allowed to do but i am 6ft and staff on board trains and at stations with ticket barriers keep questioning me about my age and some even get quite annoyed and refuse to let me through so i have to speak to a manager who tend to be more lenient but as you could guess sometimes it can be quite disstressing when i get threatened with the BTP when i am travelling legitimatly so can anyone tell me if there is some kind of ID i could get to as proof of age.

Thanks in advance
Ollie

 

[MarkyMarkD]

The most convincing evidence of age is a UK passport.

 

[221129]

i dont have one and if i can avoid it i dont want to pay the 60 odd quid for one with the possibility of never using it to travel if you see what i mean

 

[First class]

http://www.citizencard.com/ costs £13, use discount code WINTER

This is an official recognised form of ID meeting the PASS standard.

 

[221129]

Thankyou i shall have a look at that

 

[sonic2009]

I was 15 and around 6ft 3. I took my birth certifcate and asked for a Child Rate Photocard at my local station. Whether they still do these. It may be worth finding out.

 

[221129]

Thanks everyone it is really appreaciated as it is frustrating at the moment
Ollie

 

[RJ]

Thanks everyone it is really appreaciated as it is frustrating at the moment
Ollie

You can obtain a child photocard from any UK ticket office, they do still issue them!

 

[tony_mac]

If you get a weekly season ticket, then you get it with a photocard, which is valid until you are 16.
(e.g. Lichfield City to Trent Valley is cheap - but they may give you the card without buying one).

While it is only supposed to be used with a season ticket; it would be odd if it was accepted for season tickets but not for other tickets.
You will need proof of age when buying one but I think a birth certificate should do.

 

[221129]

Hmmm how much is the child photcard ???

 

[Brucey]

Hmmm how much is the child photcard ???

A photocard is free, as it is usually issued to accompany a season ticket. If you explain the issue and ask nicely at your local station, they should have no problems issuing one without a season ticket.

 

[tony_mac]

There is no charge for it.

If they don't want to issue it on its own, then you could just buy the cheap season ticket - the Lichfield one is £1.35.

 

[221129]

HMmm i think ill stick to my £13 citezencard tbh thanks anyway though

Thanks again Everyone
Ollie

 

[34D]

Hi all
I am 14 and as such i travel on child tickets which i am allowed to do but i am 6ft and staff on board trains and at stations with ticket barriers keep questioning me about my age and some even get quite annoyed and refuse to let me through so i have to speak to a manager who tend to be more lenient but as you could guess sometimes it can be quite disstressing when i get threatened with the BTP when i am travelling legitimatly so can anyone tell me if there is some kind of ID i could get to as proof of age.

Thanks in advance
Ollie

Where in the country do you live? In certain areas, you need to have a pass to get child rate tickets. If a neighbouring area has a pass, then getting one if eligible would help. Failing that, I'd expect staff nationally to recognise oyster photocards (zip cards is it)?

HMmm i think ill stick to my £13 citezencard tbh thanks anyway though

Thanks again Everyone
Ollie

Fwiw I've never heard of citizencard. Anyone else?

 

[sonic2009]

Surely if BTP were called in a situation like this. A quick check would confirm your age, and then the TOC concerned would aplogize.

At the end of the day, RPI's/Barrier Staff are only doing their jobs, there are people who buy child rate tickets every day who know that they are not a child.

 

[First class]

Citizencard is advertised on all the lists of "acceptable ID" posters in stores that I've been in, (supermarkets, newsagents etc). It is acceptable for some airlines,

 

[Class172]

Never had any problem, I'm just 15 and near enough 6ft (1/2 an inch off!).

 

[34D]

When you're 15 yrs 10 months you can apply for your provisional driving licence

 

[221129]

Where in the country do you live? In certain areas, you need to have a pass to get child rate tickets. If a neighbouring area has a pass, then getting one if eligible would help. Failing that, I'd expect staff nationally to recognise oyster photocards (zip cards is it)?


Devon

 

[MarkyMarkD]

If you can get a photocard with just a birth certificate, that's not a very robust check is it?! You could take along just about anybody's birth certificate (of the right sex!) and nobody would be any the wiser.

 

[Aictos]

Where in the country do you live? In certain areas, you need to have a pass to get child rate tickets. If a neighbouring area has a pass, then getting one if eligible would help. Failing that, I'd expect staff nationally to recognise oyster photocards (zip cards is it)?



Fwiw I've never heard of citizencard. Anyone else?

Citizencard has been around for a few years as a proof of age scheme and is accepted pretty much everywhere, I should know as I had to use it when I turned 18 because staff thought I was much younger.

I'm now in my late 20s so it's been available for least 10 years minimum.

 

[island]

Citizencards can be very difficult to obtain.

 

[221129]

Citizencards can be very difficult to obtain.

can you elaborate on how they are difficult to obtain

 

[lyesbkz]

Surely if BTP were called in a situation like this. A quick check would confirm your age, and then the TOC concerned would aplogize.

At the end of the day, RPI's/Barrier Staff are only doing their jobs, there are people who buy child rate tickets every day who know that they are not a child.

However if this happens frequently then a lot of the passenger's and BTP's time is being wasted!

As for the Child Photocard there is mention of it on NRE here, I'm sure you could just ask for one (with your photo and birth certificate), and I'd hope that they'd be understanding if you explain why you'd like one even though you're not buying a season ticket. It would be obvious to anybody with a bit of common sense that having the photo card would be saving both the passenger and the TOC itself time they otherwise waste not believing their age every time!

 

[island]

can you elaborate on how they are difficult to obtain

My wife was trying to get one and had to get her passport copy certified. She tried four different types of person listed on the form and each said "no we don't do that". She was referred to her doctor and they said they charge £25 for the certification. Stuff that.

 

[First class]

My wife was trying to get one and had to get her passport copy certified. She tried four different types of person listed on the form and each said "no we don't do that". She was referred to her doctor and they said they charge £25 for the certification. Stuff that.

a teacher would be fine, especially at his age.

Any professional person over 25 and unrelated to you can act as a verifier, provided we can phone them on a non-mobile phone during office hours.

http://www.citizencard.com/ipr/route-1-verifiers.html

 

[317666]

I'm 15 and have similar issues with being asked for proof of age, these days I just take a copy of my birth certificate around and it usually does the trick.

 

[sheff1]

If you can get a photocard with just a birth certificate, that's not a very robust check is it?! You could take along just about anybody's birth certificate (of the right sex!) and nobody would be any the wiser.

Indeed. There is no link between a birth certificate and the person showing it.

 

[tony_mac]

Indeed. There is no link between a birth certificate and the person showing it.

It isn't the most robust check, but unless it's a legal problem then it is usually accepted e.g. for railcards, cinemas, etc. as many children don't have anything better.

a teacher would be fine, especially at his age.

Not everyone goes to school; it is something of a nuisance otherwise, and most officials that are prepared to do it will also charge for the service, as island pointed out.

 

[thedbdiboy]

Getting a Child rate photocard is free and you don't need to buy a Season ticket to get one. As you are legally entitled to half fare until you are 16 you are helping yourself and staff by doing this.

With reference to the post above saying that 'anyone could do this', the 2 points I would make are - a) as stated above, unlike a Railcard or similar, you do not, under the NRCoC, have to provide proof of age so the possession of the Railcard is not intended as a sophisticated anti-fraud measure, but instead is designed to help both you and staff; b) if someone did use someone else's birth certificate to obtain a photocard, then whilst they may not always get caught, if they do they will have provided clear evidence of criminal intent, so let's just say that it is not a very bright thing to do...