Revenue blocks at bus stops?

[175mph]

I've read plenty of times how there has been revenue blocks at train stations that don't have automatic ticket barriers and even seen pictures of revenue blocks at bus stops in London.

Outside of London however, has anybody here ever got off a bus at a bus stop or at a stand at a bus station and there was an inspector asking to see everyone's tickets or bus passes before they could walk away from the stop?

In North Lincolnshire, I know it's extremely rare to see an inspector get on a bus, I only saw one get on a few weeks ago at a village on the 350 route to Hull, but it would be very interesting to read if anybody here has ever seen a revenue blockade at a bus stop anywhere?

 

[Polarbear]

In Merseyside, I've seen inspectors working with police, boarding buses just before the terminus in Liverpool city centre, and going through the bus before letting it continue.

 

[83G/84D]

Not seen any at bus stops but there was one in Kilmarnock a few weeks ago checking tickets at the bus station.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Buses tend to have a bin for us to put our tickets in. That would make a blockade off the bus a bit pointless.

 

[PeterC]

Buses tend to have a bin for us to put our tickets in. That would make a blockade off the bus a bit pointless.

After nearly half a lifetime using travelcards, Oyster and ENCTS I had forgotten those. Of course in London, with no paper ticket, it is possible to check people after they have stepped off.

 

[Stan Drews]

I saw it happen recently in Birmingham, at a stop a few before the city centre, where they captured at least two people.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Outside of London bus revenue protection is done by the driver (and usually done fairly effectively). Inspections, on the rare occasion they happen, are mainly to ensure the driver is doing his job, so tend to be done on board.

 

[bussnapperwm]

I saw it happen recently in Birmingham, at a stop a few before the city centre, where they captured at least two people.

The national express West Midlands revenue inspectors are very prolific. I was on a bus and as soon as we hit the Soho Road, Revenue came on and half of the bus evacuated

 

[paddington]

Given the low patronage of many rural buses a revenue block would probably cost more than it saves, unless on a tipoff that a driver was letting people travel for free over a prolonged period... and even so a "mystery shopper" would probably be more effective

 

[PeterC]

Given the low patronage of many rural buses a revenue block would probably cost more than it saves, unless on a tipoff that a driver was letting people travel for free over a prolonged period... and even so a "mystery shopper" would probably be more effective

Where I live now I have only seen one inspection on a LA contracted route. The main concern seemed to be to make sure that the driver wasn't just waving mature looking customers without checking their passes. Lucklily we had all remembered ours on that day as I have never know a driver charge a regular passenger who had forgotten one.

 

[randyrippley]

Surely ticket checks while on a bus are legal, but attempting a check as you are leaving - or have left - a bus would count as illegal detention?

 

[Busaholic]

Surely ticket checks while on a bus are legal, but attempting a check as you are leaving - or have left - a bus would count as illegal detention?

I doubt it would usually be attempted without police or PCSOs hovering in the background, but if you chose to walk off I can't see that you could be prevented from doing so, in theory anyway, if the 'request' was being made on the pavement.

 

[sk688]

Last time , when I was on the 140 yesterday , had a Police Officer standing next to the doors ensuring everyone was tapping on via Oyster for a significant distance

Seen more officers standing at the front doors on the 182 too , while seen fair share of officers at Harrow Bus Station , ensuring people aren't fare dodging /doing anything illegal

Been a while since a TFL ticket inspector check on a bus though

 

[johnnychips]

When I lived in Greater Manchester and had a ‘Saver Seven’ pass, it would be checked by an inspector on the bus at least three times a week.

I’ve now lived in South Yorkshire for thirty-five years and never, ever seen an inspector on a bus of any company in that time.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Arriva MK (and the local cowboys) do not appear to have any inspectors of any kind.

 

[Typhoon]

The national express West Midlands revenue inspectors are very prolific. I was on a bus and as soon as we hit the Soho Road, Revenue came on and half of the bus evacuated

I lived in Birmingham until a few years ago and it was not rare for the revenue inspectors to be accompanied by police officers. They usually waited by the exit but on one occasion the officer came up to the top deck and told passengers to have their tickets and passes ready.

 

[richw]

Given the low patronage of many rural buses a revenue block would probably cost more than it saves, unless on a tipoff that a driver was letting people travel for free over a prolonged period... and even so a "mystery shopper" would probably be more effective

I was on a rural stagecoach service recently whilst on my holidays and a bus company manager boarded mid journey and walked round asking to see tickets. After the manager left another passenger asked the driver what it was all about. The driver told the other passenger that a few weeks previous a passenger alleged drivers on this route were letting people go for nothing. All the drivers knew this so guess what... everything was being done by the book by now.

 

[pdsalford]

In Merseyside, I've seen inspectors working with police, boarding buses just before the terminus in Liverpool city centre, and going through the bus before letting it continue.

I've seen this near Salford University on a few occasions.

 

[DuncanS]

Given the low patronage of many rural buses a revenue block would probably cost more than it saves, unless on a tipoff that a driver was letting people travel for free over a prolonged period... and even so a "mystery shopper" would probably be more effective

Had it twice on rural services that I've been on where we've picked up an Inspector at a stop and they have then gone through all of the passengers asking to see valid tickets.

Was a regular occurrence when I was in Glasgow as well.

 

[Typhoon]

I was on a rural stagecoach service recently whilst on my holidays and a bus company manager boarded mid journey and walked round asking to see tickets. After the manager left another passenger asked the driver what it was all about. The driver told the other passenger that a few weeks previous a passenger alleged drivers on this route were letting people go for nothing. All the drivers knew this so guess what... everything was being done by the book by now.

Our local Stagecoach company uses inspectors on urban and rural services. They are quite low key compared with London and West Midlands. I found the inspectors quite chatty. You don't get to see them very often - its probably just to gently remind passengers not to cross the line. Mind you its not unknown for drivers to 'remind' passengers that they have reached their stop.

 

[Mojo]

The national express West Midlands revenue inspectors are very prolific. I was on a bus and as soon as we hit the Soho Road, Revenue came on and half of the bus evacuated

I moved away from Birmingham a few years ago and never had my ticket checked by a Revenue Inspector personally but saw them occasionally doing exercises with the police. Buses in Birmingham seemed to have a bit of a bad reputation and indeed I don't think I ever saw a Travel West Midlands (as was) bus without significant etching on the back windows of the upper deck. I used to be a semi-regular traveller and every bus I went on with the exception of one memorable occasion had some kind of strange behaviour occurring, ranging from playing music out loud, to loud/abusive customers, rudeness to drivers, and occasionally smoking (illegal drugs or cigarettes).

There seemed to be quite noticeable fare evasion also; the old passing the ticket through the window trick to their friend waiting outside, to the use of out of date tickets, putting less money than due in the change vault, or counterfeit tickets.

 

[Busaholic]

I moved away from Birmingham a few years ago and never had my ticket checked by a Revenue Inspector personally but saw them occasionally doing exercises with the police. Buses in Birmingham seemed to have a bit of a bad reputation and indeed I don't think I ever saw a Travel West Midlands (as was) bus without significant etching on the back windows of the upper deck. I used to be a semi-regular traveller and every bus I went on with the exception of one memorable occasion had some kind of strange behaviour occurring, ranging from playing music out loud, to loud/abusive customers, rudeness to drivers, and occasionally smoking (illegal drugs or cigarettes).

There seemed to be quite noticeable fare evasion also; the old passing the ticket through the window trick to their friend waiting outside, to the use of out of date tickets, putting less money than due in the change vault, or counterfeit tickets.

I'm interested in the one memorable occasion - please do tell!

 

[Mojo]

I'm interested in the one memorable occasion - please do tell!

It was memorable because the only occasion I didn’t feel uncomfortable travelling on the bus. About 20 Min into the journey just as we were pulling into Moseley two police officers got on, went upstairs, and then got off a couple of stops later.

 

[Busaholic]

It was memorable because the only occasion I didn’t feel uncomfortable travelling on the bus. About 20 Min into the journey just as we were pulling into Moseley two police officers got on, went upstairs, and then got off a couple of stops later.

I've never been on a bus in Birmingham, but you're not selling it to me.

 

[Typhoon]

It was memorable because the only occasion I didn’t feel uncomfortable travelling on the bus. About 20 Min into the journey just as we were pulling into Moseley two police officers got on, went upstairs, and then got off a couple of stops later.

I've been on a few West Midlands buses where police officers got on - not only did they go upstairs but they sat at the back (possibly same route - 50 which passed by Digbeth Police Station).

Other features of Birmingham buses (not seen as frequently as etched windows):- burn marks in fabric seats, part melted seat backs, fights. There was also a couple of plagues of bus bricking while I lived there. I should add that for employment reasons I had to travel at night.

 

[uww11x]

Blackpool Transport would quite often have inspectors doing ticket checks around town.

 

[RJ]

When the Kinchbus Sprint service became free to students within the Loughborough University grounds, there were blocks at the last bus stop on campus to catch out naughty people trying to travel free into town.

 

[Lrd]

When I used to work for a national bus company in Southampton, they only had 3 revenue inspectors to cover Portsmouth, Fareham, Gosport, Southampton, Weymouth, Bracknell and I'm sure Yeovil as well so it was very very rare to see them. I think I had them on my bus only once in a year.