Lack of ticket inspections by VTEC

[TUC]

On three occasions so far this year when traveling between Leeds and London on VTEC there have been no ticket checks, nor has there been any visibility of the guard during these journeys. Has anyone else noticed a decrease in inspections? It seems surprising, given VTEC's need to maximise revenue.

 

[westv]

3 out of how many?

 

[mirodo]

On my most recent trip (King Cross - Leeds and back in the same day), I was surprised at how late in the journey my ticket was checked, given that I was travelling first class and had been amply fed and refreshed by the time anyone verified that I was actually in possesion of a first class ticket.

 

[TUC]

3 out of how many?

Around 5 or 6 I think.

 

[WestRiding]

My main gripe about Rail Travel. If i pay umpteen quid for a ticket, i expect somone to look at it. Last time i used VTEC from Donny to Kings Cross, i could have done the journey for free, meaning i need not have bought a ticket, then the barriers were all open at Kings Cross.

 

[brompton rail]

My main gripe about Rail Travel. If i pay umpteen quid for a ticket, i expect somone to look at it. Last time i used VTEC from Donny to Kings Cross, i could have done the journey for free, meaning i need not have bought a ticket, then the barriers were all open at Kings Cross.

On journeys between Doncaster and York (only 20 minute ride) when travelling on VTEC I am unlikely to have my ticket checked at all. The only exception I can remember was when using one of the York to KX stoppers - as I was in Coach B and it was an HST (where guard's office is). However I find that on nearly all Cross Country services (only 4 or 5 coaches) I am likely to have my ticket checked. Leeds VTEC services seem to rely on the barriers at Leeds station, though southbound it isn't unusual to be checked between Wakefield and Doncaster - mostly if sat in coaches next to buffet or rear ( depending on where guard starts).

In First on XC the host will usually ask for ticket before serving drinks or breakfast, similarly on EMT.

 

[Saint66]

Out of using VTEC numerous times in the past few months, I can only remember once when I did not have a ticket checked, and even then I'm not 100% on that.

My last journey saw the guard checking tickets almost straight away upon departure from KX, at which point we were delayed by an OHLE issue in the Ally Pally area, which the guard kept us updated very well with, going through the coaches making verbal announcements as he checked tickets... Our coach also did not have any working plugs, which again the Guard investigated quickly, and made announcements informing passengers of alternatives in the next coach along.

Of course it's just down to luck if you see a lot of ticket checks, but personally, I do on VTEC (Again, KX to Leeds, and back).

 

[johntea]

Presumably they know the vast majority of punters will have a ticket (typically advance) as they are rather expensive to purchase on board if they do not possess one

 

[96tommy]

In the last 6 months I have made around 40 journeys between Leeds/York and London on VTEC and my ticket has been checked roughly only half of those times. Northbound journeys are the ones least frequently checked. I don't know if this is because of the ticket barriers at the Cross but they are rarely closed and you can usually wlak straight through them.

 

[Iskra]

I travel this route fairly often and I'd say my ticket is checked 9/10 times. The only time my ticket might not be checked is if I ever travel Wakefield Westgate-Leeds but then both stations have barriers.

Additionally, there is a 3 man revenue protection team that can and does get on West Yorks trains, to check every ticket between the stations with short distances between them.

Also, VTEC/EC trains are the only trains I ever catch that sometimes have two guards on.

So I'd say they're pretty good on the whole.

 

[pethadine82]

After leaving Peterborough I have nearly always had my ticket checked going southbound.
Also Great Northern do a RPI block in the evening, but I guess they are only interested in passengers using GN routes.
I showed them the e-ticket bar code (for Vtec journey) on my phone and they let me through.

 

[TUC]

Another journey today from Wakefield to London with no ticket check. I'd started my journey at Huddersfield so it wasn't even that I'd had to go through the Wakefield barriers.

 

[Iskra]

Another journey today from Wakefield to London with no ticket check. I'd started my journey at Huddersfield so it wasn't even that I'd had to go through the Wakefield barriers.

Hudds barriers not on? It's rare they're open in my experience. Did you not get checked on the Northern stopper?

 

[TUC]

Hudds barriers not on? It's rare they're open in my experience. Did you not get checked on the Northern stopper?

The barriers were open and, yes, my ticket did get checked on the Northern service, but all they would rightly be interested in is whether I had a ticket to Wakefield. That's no guarantee that a passenger has a valid ticket to London.