Off Peak Trains

[bb21]

London Manchester 3-40 is showing peak time on the train door.

Virgin's ticket wallets spread this myth of peak time traisn too, on the back cover.

Then I suggest that a complaint is made to Virgin for misleading information.

 

[island]

To which they will reply something to the effect of "our customers indicate that they want simple information on when their ticket is valid, and whilst a small minority of obscure tickets differ in validity from the guidelines in our timetables and on our posters, we think it would sacrifice clarity to add more conditions and exceptions. Our staff members have the facility to look up ticket validity when needed and are always pleased to explain to customers when they may use their off-peak ticket".

 

[CNash]

The gateline staff member at Clapham Junction this morning wasn't "pleased to explain to customers [i.e. me] when they may use their off-peak ticket." I arrived at 9am and explained that I wanted to buy an off-peak return to Guildford from the TVM, (this one, restriction code US, valid from 0910) and it wasn't letting me. Instead of explaining - as I later found out - that TVMs can't sell off-peak tickets before they become valid to use, she insisted that off-peak tickets cannot, under any circumstances, used before 0930, and that the gate wouldn't even let me through if I tried.

A ten-minute wait and a second, successful, attempt to buy that that ticket proved her wrong (not that she noticed, of course, as I happily made my way through the gateline). Obviously, gateline staff can't be expected to know the details of all the various and sundry restriction codes, but giving such an adamant rejection of the notion that there could be off-peak tickets valid before 0930 is surely misleading. It could mean that passengers are unnecessarily inconvenienced as they either wait for 0930 to roll around, delaying themselves, or that they pay extra for an unnecessary Anytime ticket.

 

[bb21]

You might want to bring this to SWT's attention so that she can be informed of her mistakes and appropriate retraining conducted.

 

[maniacmartin]

Alas this is a common misconception amongst many staff that is by no means limited to SWT

 

[swt_passenger]

Alas this is a common misconception amongst many staff that is by no means limited to SWT

It was famously a misconception of a recent Secretary of State, who was surprised to find he could leave Southampton Central for London with an off peak ticket before 0900 ish...

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/205842/Philip-Hammond-vows-to-make-rail-fares-simple