Merseyrail - a change of policy perhaps?

[joke2711]

Following on from my incident at Manor Road where I was unable to buy a ticket, was interested to observe the following today.

On board a West Kirby train, a young lady boarded at Conway Park and sat down opposite me. At Birkenhead North revenue inspection boarded the train and commenced a ticket inspection. She had no ticket and said that there was no-one in the ticket office. They asked if she had the ability to pay for a ticket to which she replied yes, she was planning to get her ticket at West Kirby. They made a phone call, to whom I couldn't catch, and then asked her if she was wanting a single or return. She replied return and they wrote out a paper ticket and charged her £3.95 for an anytime return.

I have never seen this before as it is always pay at destination - was wondering whether they have decided that if there is an innocent and valid reason ,it is better to ensure the revenue is collected at the time??

 

[Starmill]

If the ticket office was not manned and there was no other way to buy a ticket they don't have any options but to charge the normal fare either there and then or at destination. I am sure that I have heard of them issuing tickets on paper pads before.

 

[gray1404]

They prob made the phone call to check the the booking office was not manned at the said time. I doubt they would have been able to take a card payment on board.

 

[Wales_Commuter]

that's good if they have started doing that

 

[185]

Good to see common sense discretion being used given the circumstances. Being Merseyrail, the booking office has to be manned at all times during the service, so in the interests of the business and good customer care they did the right thing.