Classic case of the man at the platform says...

[LondonJohn]

This evening I was queueing at a ticket office to buy a standard ticket for travel in a couple of weeks time.

The guy in front of me had just picked up a ticket from the TVM purchased online. The date of travel was today and it was not an advance ticket. I don't know the route that it was for.

Intentionally or otherwise, the guy said that he wanted to travel outbound tomorrow and he must have made a mistake with his dates when booking the ticket. The ticket office clerk said it would cost £10 to change, the guy said that why should he pay for an unrestricted ticket he was still doing the same travelling he wanted to go another day. After thinking about it some more the ticket office clerk gave the tickets back to the guy and said oh just see the guard on the train tomorrow and he will sort it out for you.....

I was horrified. I wanted to say something but the guy turned away to his left and I was next in the queue so didn't have a chance to but would have felt uncomfortable because if this guy gets on the train tomorrow and is challenged at best he could be let of, or in worse case scenarios penalty fared or prosecuted for not being able to show a valid ticket at time of travel.

Not sure how zealous this train company's RPIs are but still.

I purchased my ticket by card so there is a time and date of the transaction so the TOC should be able to locate the ticket office clerk.

Really wish I had said something now to the other passenger what would anybody else have done in this scenario.

Don't want to reveal the TOC company or ticket office here unless you think I should but would be happy to tell people by PM.

Should I do anything else ? I mean if I contact the TOC would they bother to ask the clerk what the journey was and see if a guy was PFd tomorrow for that scenario I described or would it be a case of my word against that of the clerk.


Oops just read the title could one of the mods change it to Classic case of the man on the platform says...

 

[yorkie]

Yes that is very bad advice. The ticket will probably hold no validity at all and it won't be possible to excess/exchange it.

Without knowing the details of the ticket it is difficult to advise (not that it's possible to even advise the customer anyway as they won't be reading this).

(Example: passenger holds York - Doncaster SSR for travel today and wishes to travel tomorrow. Solution: Get an over-distance excess to a Mexborough SOR for a few pence).

Really wish I had said something now to the other passenger what would anybody else have done in this scenario.

I'd hand them one of our RailUK business cards if I had one on me

Yes, you could write to the TOC. Sadly I doubt the passenger will have a pleasant journey tomorrow, and chances are the TOC won't be interested in cancelling any action taken against them.

Oops just read the title could one of the mods change it to Classic case of the man on the platform says...

Done (but generally speaking any message for moderators should be done via PM or using the report button, as we don't get to read all posts)

 

[Greenback]

It seems a clear case of the staff member not wanting to argue it out with the passenger, and passing the problem to someone else to sort out.

The clerk should have stood their ground and explained the rules properly.

 

[soil]

Making it someone else's problem.

Always a good strategy....

 

[AlterEgo]

It seems a clear case of the staff member not wanting to argue it out with the passenger, and passing the problem to someone else to sort out.

The clerk should have stood their ground and explained the rules properly.

I agree that this is exactly what has happened. Absolutely galling to see it happen though.

 

[Prairie_5542]

The staff member should have enforced the rules and stating that the ticket is only valid outward on that day.