Automatic Ticket Barriers

[MichaelTrains]

I hope this thread is in the right place. Apologies if not.

For the last three days when leaving Bradford Forster Square, the automatic ticket barriers have not accepted my ticket which was an advance ticket.

I asked the Northern member of staff why they haven't been accepting valid tickets. The member of staff said that they had set the barriers not to let advance tickets through because people had been abusing them.

So, by not accepting them, the staff on the gates have to physically look at the ticket and then swipe you through with their pass.

I’m left wondering how can anyone abuse an advance ticket?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I’m left wondering how can anyone abuse an advance ticket?

By travelling on a train other than the one booked.

 

[Geeves]

I’m left wondering how can anyone abuse an advance ticket?

In Northerns case as above you could probably travel on a particular train for a few pounds where as the next train may have no advance fares available which of course is unfair for everyone else who's paid more and is fraudulent travel

 

[MichaelTrains]

Maybe they've identified Bradford Forster Square as a fraudulent hotspot?

 

[NickBucks]

So I arrive at Bradford Forster Square and sit on a platform bench to take two urgent business calls, then I visit the toilet then I buy a coffee ( no knowledge of Bradford F.S as to whether there is a cafe on the platform ) before I depart as I am in no hurry for my business appointment. Numerous other trains arrive.Exactly how do the gate staff know which train I alighted from ? Surely this is the job of the train manager / guard to police the correct use of advance tickets? Not arguing with the aim of the policy but it does not seem to have been thought through.

 

[bleeder4]

So I arrive at Bradford Forster Square and sit on a platform bench to take two urgent business calls, then I visit the toilet then I buy a coffee ( no knowledge of Bradford F.S as to whether there is a cafe on the platform ) before I depart as I am in no hurry for my business appointment. Numerous other trains arrive.Exactly how do the gate staff know which train I alighted from ? Surely this is the job of the train manager / guard to police the correct use of advance tickets? Not arguing with the aim of the policy but it does not seem to have been thought through.

Yes I agree. After alighting at a busy station after a long-ish train journey I will usually visit the loo and grab a bite to eat, get freshened up, before I head for the exit.

 

[Bantamzen]

Maybe they've identified Bradford Forster Square as a fraudulent hotspot?

Interestingly when I used to live in Baildon, I would often travel Baildon to Warrington Bank Quay via Forster Square & Interchange. Forster square would always accept my ticket, the Interchange never did.

 

[thejuggler]

Interestingly when I used to live in Baildon, I would often travel Baildon to Warrington Bank Quay via Forster Square & Interchange. Forster square would always accept my ticket, the Interchange never did.

It was the same the other way when the barriers were first installed.

From Bramley or New Pudsey to stations serving the Aire and Wharfe Valleys it is cheaper to go via Bradford than Leeds. The ticket would allow exit from Interchange, but never worked for entry at Forster Square.

 

[carpo]

Saw something similar with Annual Gold Card tickets not being permitted through at Marylebone in either direction.

 

[Horizon22]

It is not unheard of to have a blanket "reject tickets of XXX type" set on automatic barriers for a period of time at some stations if they have heightened revenue protection measures. There are examples of this all around the country which may be very specific to a station, a set of stations or a TOC.

 

[Class73Electro]

I get similar with my Railcard tickets. sometimes they will go through fine, other times (and certain stations I find), it beeps with "seek assistance"

 

[swt_passenger]

So I arrive at Bradford Forster Square and sit on a platform bench to take two urgent business calls, then I visit the toilet then I buy a coffee ( no knowledge of Bradford F.S as to whether there is a cafe on the platform ) before I depart as I am in no hurry for my business appointment. Numerous other trains arrive.Exactly how do the gate staff know which train I alighted from ? Surely this is the job of the train manager / guard to police the correct use of advance tickets? Not arguing with the aim of the policy but it does not seem to have been thought through.

Obviously an argument would ensue in your case, but someone arriving significantly earlier than possible isn’t so much of a problem to determine…

 

[Belperpete]

There should be a code displayed when your ticket is refused. There is a web-site that explains these codes, if you want to know why your ticket has been refused at a particular station:
http://www.railwaycodes.org.uk/stations/barriers.shtm

 

[Phil Anthtropy]

I hope this thread is in the right place. Apologies if not.

For the last three days when leaving Bradford Forster Square, the automatic ticket barriers have not accepted my ticket which was an advance ticket.

I asked the Northern member of staff why they haven't been accepting valid tickets. The member of staff said that they had set the barriers not to let advance tickets through because people had been abusing them.

So, by not accepting them, the staff on the gates have to physically look at the ticket and then swipe you through with their pass.

I’m left wondering how can anyone abuse an advance ticket?

I've had issues with 'metrocards' and 'day rovers' at Forster Square previously where the staff have had to swipe 5/6 of us through sometimes.

 

[Bald Rick]

Yes I agree. After alighting at a busy station after a long-ish train journey I will usually visit the loo and grab a bite to eat, get freshened up, before I head for the exit.

on the platform???

 

[canary fan]

on the platform???

Why not. Toilets are often situated on the platform and many also have coffee shops. Doncaster and,no doubt others, has a pub on the platform.

 

[Bevan Price]

So I arrive at Bradford Forster Square and sit on a platform bench to take two urgent business calls, then I visit the toilet then I buy a coffee ( no knowledge of Bradford F.S as to whether there is a cafe on the platform ) before I depart as I am in no hurry for my business appointment. Numerous other trains arrive.Exactly how do the gate staff know which train I alighted from ? Surely this is the job of the train manager / guard to police the correct use of advance tickets? Not arguing with the aim of the policy but it does not seem to have been thought through.

All facilities at Forster Square are outside the barriers..

 

[Phil Anthtropy]

So I arrive at Bradford Forster Square and sit on a platform bench to take two urgent business calls, then I visit the toilet then I buy a coffee ( no knowledge of Bradford F.S as to whether there is a cafe on the platform ) before I depart as I am in no hurry for my business appointment. Numerous other trains arrive.Exactly how do the gate staff know which train I alighted from ? Surely this is the job of the train manager / guard to police the correct use of advance tickets? Not arguing with the aim of the policy but it does not seem to have been thought through.

You'd have to leave through the ticket barriers to do that as there's no facilities platform side at Forster Square.

 

[1D54]

NickBucks was probably just using BDQ as an example not realising that there are not the facilities on the platform.

 

[47296lastduff]

I often buy an off-peak return Manchester to Wakefield, and I break my journey at Leeds to have some lunch (Spoons within the concourse area). The barriers there never accept my ticket. It may be because I have a senior railcard, but the barrier staff never ask for or see my card.

 

[The exile]

Yes I agree. After alighting at a busy station after a long-ish train journey I will usually visit the loo and grab a bite to eat, get freshened up, before I head for the exit.

Are any of those facilities available “railside” of the barriers at Forster Square?

 

[renegademaster]

Whenever GTR are feeling bored they set the ticket barriers to reject Railcard tickets. However it's quite rare for staff to actually check your Railcard and most just let you through regardless

 

[Freemo]

Between my Young Person's Railcard, advance tickets and Two Together Railcard, I've virtually never made it through the barriers at Stevenage unimpeded. Frustrating for a station that sees reasonable numbers of long distance arrivals.

 

[saismee]

I often buy an off-peak return Manchester to Wakefield, and I break my journey at Leeds to have some lunch (Spoons within the concourse area). The barriers there never accept my ticket. It may be because I have a senior railcard, but the barrier staff never ask for or see my card.

Paper tickets never play nice with break of journey. E-tickets or any others with Aztec codes almost always work.

 

[Flying Snail]

Whenever GTR are feeling bored they set the ticket barriers to reject Railcard tickets. However it's quite rare for staff to actually check your Railcard and most just let you through regardless

There is no doubt a significant difference between what gateline staff can/will do about possible ticketing irregularities and the fantasy certain management types believe. But no matter, it is better that a thousand passengers get irritated than one manager has to admit reality.

 

[thejuggler]

Are any of those facilities available “railside” of the barriers at Forster Square?

No. A ticket office and a small shop before the barrier. It doesn't even have a toilet any side of the barrier.

 

[DelW]

Paper tickets never play nice with break of journey. E-tickets or any others with Aztec codes almost always work.

For various reasons I'm usually travelling using CCST, and I'm sometimes surprised by the unlikely break of journey barriers that they do actually open. But the surprise is indeed because of my automatic assumption that they won't ...

 

[Bletchleyite]

For various reasons I'm usually travelling using CCST, and I'm sometimes surprised by the unlikely break of journey barriers that they do actually open. But the surprise is indeed because of my automatic assumption that they won't ...

It really depends on the competence of whoever is programming the barriers. I did at one point think that the ones at Birmingham New St would open for any ticket, so I purchased a single from Scotscalder to Altnabreac to try that and it didn't, so someone has clearly spent some time programming those ones to allow through pretty much anything that even might be valid that way (mainly to ensure people aren't delayed if they interchange at the A end, presumably).

 

[saismee]

It really depends on the competence of whoever is programming the barriers. I did at one point think that the ones at Birmingham New St would open for any ticket, so I purchased a single from Scotscalder to Altnabreac and it didn't, so someone has clearly spent some time programming those ones to allow through pretty much anything that even might be valid that way (mainly to ensure people aren't delayed if they interchange at the A end, presumably).

Ipswich barriers won't accept anything from the WAML or any Thameslink stations on the ECML. "123 - Route Prohibited" when the destination is Ipswich? I think Cubic tend to be a little incompetent overall.

 

[Bantamzen]

At least at Manchester Victoria they've devised a system where most tickets are equally treated. That is to say you spend 5 minutes frantically waiving the QR code at the knee-height scanner, before trying to find a member of the gateline staff to let you through*. It always annoys me when I see the bloke on the Northern TV advert just slide effortlessly through them, it's like how does he manage the impossible....?

(*I must admit however I've just about got the hang of exactly how far from the scanners the phone screen needs to be, though it seems it's not an exact science )