Help button on Gatelines

[DelW]

I've only ever lost one ticket. Why would demagnetising the ticket be a serious problem? The date is still printed on the front. No chance of having to pay more.

It cost me an extra £2.80 in August. I arrived at West Kensington District line station at around 21:00, to find barriers closed, my paper Travelcard was rejected with "seek assistance". There was no-one around (either staff or passengers) so after a few minutes wait, since I was tight for time catching my main line train home, I had no option but to use my bank card to pay for a contactless journey. Had I not had that with me I'd have been stuck until someone showed up.

 

[miklcct]

It cost me an extra £2.80 in August. I arrived at West Kensington District line station at around 21:00, to find barriers closed, my paper Travelcard was rejected with "seek assistance". There was no-one around (either staff or passengers) so after a few minutes wait, since I was tight for time catching my main line train home, I had no option but to use my bank card to pay for a contactless journey. Had I not had that with me I'd have been stuck until someone showed up.

Didn't you press the help button?

 

[DelW]

Didn't you press the help button?

No, I wasn't aware of such a thing so it didn't occur to me to look for one. I've never previously had the need to do so, as there's always been a staff member around.

 

[Jan Mayen]

A post in another thread mentions help buttons on gatelines. Can anyone suggest where they are, as I don't recall seeing one? Many thanks

No, I wasn't aware of such a thing so it didn't occur to me to look for one. I've never previously had the need to do so, as there's always been a staff member around.

 

[transportphoto]

Gate lines are either staffed whilst in operation, or have a fairly obvious help point which links to a member of staff (if they’ve been designed to be worked remotely).

The chances are you haven’t seen a help point because there’s always a member of staff close by at the stations you’ve visited.

From memory, and I’m happy to be corrected, an example whereby help points are used is Leicester. Staff man the main gate line, however the car park and lift gate lines are not manned.

 

[avid2424]

Memory suggests Crawley, West Sussex and Maidenhead. The normal exit point ticket offices services and town centre are all best accessed by the northernmost platform. But there are instances where leaving from the southernmost platform is more convenient. Not worth permanently staffing the automatic ticket gates. Hence an obvious button to source some help

 

[DelW]

A post in another thread mentions help buttons on gatelines. Can anyone suggest where they are, as I don't recall seeing one? Many thanks

I'm glad I'm not the only one who hasn't noticed them at tube stations!

 

[winks]

Just push through the disabled barriers.

 

[island]

Just push through the disabled barriers.

Are you seriously advising people to commit a criminal offence?

 

[winks]

That really wouldn’t be classed as a criminal offence. The wide gates are designed to be pushed open. If there’s no staff available this would be a considered reasonable and you shouldn’t be paying for another ticket ! Period.

 

[Starmill]

Didn't you press the help button?

There's not usually a help button for London Underground gates.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Oct 2023 ==

Just push through the disabled barriers.

Wouldn't it be better to complain and ask for the money back? It would take about 2 minutes to do. https://tfl.gov.uk/help-and-contact/contact-us-about-tube-and-rail

 

[exbrel]

Stoke on Trent has one on exit from platform 2 to the car park,

 

[realemil]

Crewe has one too, at one of the smaller gatelines, unsure which one exactly, I think it's one for the car park (happy to be corrected).

Have needed to use it a few times, you get connected via video camera and get told to show your ticket.

 

[ValleyLines142]

Gloucester and Cheltenham too.

 

[TUC]

I always assumed gatelines were either staffed or left open. What use is a closed gateline and a Help button to a visually impaired passenger, who might be able to see well enough to find their way around a station, but not to locate smaller items like Help buttons?

 

[Techniquest]

Leatherhead certainly at least used to have one, on the southbound platform from memory. I haven't been since 2012, so that could have changed. I'm reliably informed the barrier at the top of the ramp from the non-station-building end of Exeter Central have these remotely monitored systems too.

I think they're a great idea!

 

[The exile]

I always assumed gatelines were either staffed or left open. What use is a closed gateline and a Help button to a visually impaired passenger, who might be able to see well enough to find their way around a station, but not to locate smaller items like Help buttons?

They are on minor, less well-used exits (the one at Bath Spa provides direct access to the small station car park) so presumably in the same way that a footbridge doesn’t have to be removed because not everyone can use it, these “extra” exits / entrances can be remotely operated with a help point (just like lifts).

 

[W-on-Sea]

Didcot platform 1 exit direct to outside has one, with CCTV link. I've used it when my ticket wouldn't open the barrier, shown it to the help point operator via camera, then they've opened the barrier remotely. Very useful

 

[pennineuk]

Lewes platform 1 exit to car park has a help button with CCTV etc

 

[TUC]

They are on minor, less well-used exits (the one at Bath Spa provides direct access to the small station car park) so presumably in the same way that a footbridge doesn’t have to be removed because not everyone can use it, these “extra” exits / entrances can be remotely operated with a help point (just like lifts).

I think the difference is that in plenty of other stations the approach is either staff the gateline or leave it open, so it's difficult to see the reason for variation.

 

[Hadders]

I think the difference is that in plenty of other stations the approach is either staff the gateline or leave it open, so it's difficult to see the reason for variation.

The staffing required to cover the minor gatelines would be a huge cost.

You could either leave the gatelines open, which would result in fare evasion or more likely just permanently close the minor entrances/exits. Be careful what you wish for.

 

[Chriso]

They are a fare evaders dream as they just can barge the wide gate with no staff about. Although to be honest many do it on the main gates with staff too unfortunately not much they can do without BTP

Always happens frequently on the Thameslink North stations with them

Leagrave, Luton, Harpendon, St Albans City, Radlett, Mill Hill Bway, West Hampstead Thameslink.

Many Southern/GN stations are the same

I will add though that they are better than nothing

 

[occone]

The one I've seen has a screen with instructions, which changes to a view of the member of staff when operated. There's a low down camera where you can be asked to hold tickets up to.

I suppose it's faster than a pager type system that brings someone down to the gate. On a rarely used ticket gate it seems a fair compromise but I have seen it at busier gates and it feels very out of place.

 

[MrJeeves]

Burgess Hill also has these on the gatelines out to the card parks either side of the station, while the station building gateline is staffed.

Despite this, the side entrances are often left with the gates open, or the outbuildings are shuttered and the side gate is opened instead, even while the main station gateline is staffed.

 

[The exile]

I think the difference is that in plenty of other stations the approach is either staff the gateline or leave it open, so it's difficult to see the reason for variation.

The two main gate lines - one out of each side - are either staffed or open. The third one- which is open to the elements - saves those parking a long walk but would be economic madness to staff.

 

[NeilCr]

Ashford International has one on the gate line to the now disused Eurostar part of the station which leads to the exit to the Designer Outlet

Also to a pretty decent pub!

 

[island]

That really wouldn’t be classed as a criminal offence.

Yes it is. Section 9 of the Railway Byelaws.

The wide gates are designed to be pushed open.

That’s a safety measure in case someone gets caught in it.

 

[renegademaster]

It's very common in Southernland , one side of the station will have staffed gates and the other side will have a help point gate line

 

[MrJeeves]

Honestly if I was stuck with noone at a gateline and no remote help button, I'd probably just slam the yellow emergency open button on the control pedestal.

Unstaffed gatelines are a safety risk in case of emergency and, while they are designed to automatically open for fire alarms and evacuations, they can't automatically open if there's suddenly a rush of people for another reason.

 

[boiledbeans2]

That really wouldn’t be classed as a criminal offence. The wide gates are designed to be pushed open. If there’s no staff available this would be a considered reasonable and you shouldn’t be paying for another ticket ! Period.

Some time ago at Crystal Palace station, the barriers were closed with no LO staff around. Some guys in their 40s-50s were having trouble with their paper tickets. In the end, they all crawled under the wide gate barriers, slowly, one-by-one...