Barrier staff contending unchecked ticket not valid?

[cjohnson]

On Saturday I travelled with a group to Milton Keynes Central from Euston, all with off-peak day returns (VT only). Upon arrival at MKC one of our party's tickets failed to work the barrier. The ticket was shown to the barrier staff, who said there was a problem with her ticket because it didn't show any sign of being checked/stamped by the guard; and it could therefore, in theory, be used again, which would be in breach of the rules. After some discussion they relented and she was let through the gates.

(What I think happened is that we were caught in a sudden large downpour on alighting the train, which may have damaged the ticket, and washed off the guard's stamp on the ticket somehow).

Just because the ticket showed no evidence of being stamped by the guard, that shouldn't cause a problem surely? A guard may not be able to make it through the whole train between EUS and MKC anyway, especially if he had a couple of troublesome tickets/customers...? In any case, if the barrier staff were so concerned about re-using the ticket why didn't they just retain it (as I presume they would be in their rights to do?)

 

[YorkshireBear]

that doesnt make sense, surely one of the perks of ticket barriers is that it doesnt matter if the guard cant make it all the way through the train as the barriers pick it up.....

i rarely get my ticket marked on way into leeds and i have never had my ticket rejected..... even folded and bent ones

 

[LexyBoy]

They were talking rubbish; whether a ticket is stamped or not has no effect on its validity (unless of course it's being presented for travel and is already stamped!). The barrier staff are perfectly within their rights to take the ticket on completion of travel, and indeed usually do unless a (good) reason to retain it is given.

 

[AlterEgo]

That's a strange one. The barrier staff at MKC are quite good. The fact that it wasn't stamped is totally irrelevant; in any case they could just as well have retained the ticket, as they're entitled to do.

Odd.

 

[Deerfold]

Very odd. If your ticket hadn't been stamped that's rarely your fault (and I can't see any reason to be suspicious so longas you were quite happy to try and put your ticket through the barrier).

 

[island]

The VT clippers also leave an impression on the ticket; couldn't they have checked for that?

 

[Wyvern]

They were expecting you to do more than one journey from Euston on the same day?

 

[penaltyfines]

Peanuts. Monkeys.

 

[bnm]

More than peanuts. Higher fares.

Training is the issue here, not the wage paid. It's the organ grinders that deserve castigation.