M-Tickets are also catnip for poorly trained gateline staff, as they are frequently used for advances and the standard display lists a terminal station / suggested routing. So if you purchased a standard ticket, you have to switch to the previous page to demonstrate "London Terminals" and hope to be believed. Also, a lot of gatelines are not fully equipped to accept them, instead having just a small number of gates set up for this (Marylebone is an example), which is the source of confusion/delays (I've seen people trying to tap their phone on the oyster pads!).
By the way, I notice TTL (for one) has become increasingly aggressive in trying to encourage uptake of M-Tickets. Now, M-Tickets are the default but you can "add an option" (how generous!) to collect a paper ticket. Then you have to click (for a second time) to cancel the M-Ticket and switch to a paper ticket, which if you forget to do before collecting your ticket means you are out of luck unless you can wait (potentially) 5-10 minutes. Does anyone know what the motivation is in pressuring this so heavily? Does it cost them a few pennies to issue paper tickets for pickup or something?
), but I don't see any problem with them moving forward in encouraging those willing to use electronic & mobile ticketing solutions. The technology is moving at a pace, and most if not all of the problems often raised by those not so keen on them are usually easily dealt with, the most common being battery running out. However it would be far more helpful if the DfT led the way on this with National Rail, brining out a single standard for these, so that they & the TOCs could develop solutions that would be standardised & instantly recognisable to all passengers accustomed to electronic ticketing. A single smartcard option would also help get a nationwide rollout underway, all but dispensing of the need for paper tickets, except for those without access to the other technologies.
