Should Railcards be dematerialized to prevent abuse?

[takno]

So surely it is very simple if you choose to use your phone for your railcard then YOU take responsibility for that phone being charged. Both myself and wife manage to have our phone charged we have Senior railcards and my wife is not overly good with tech but has coped. We do only buy from the official railcard site.

As for doing away with railcards as some suggest, well that would mean we wouldn’t use the train. There are always seats available on trains we travel on so that income would disappear.

The key issues are that the official app itself has gone down for whole days in recent years, phones aren't always 100% predictable, and while you may have made your own decision there is no paper option available for some Railcard types.

 

[Turtle]

The key issues are that the official app itself has gone down for whole days in recent years, phones aren't always 100% predictable, and while you may have made your own decision there is no paper option available for some Railcard types.

Very true. As I mentioned in an earlier post, some years ago I purchased the then top of the range Samsung which unexpectedly died shortly afterwards.

 

[Ashley Hill]

The main issue I see is, has the ITSO standard allowed for such things to happen

My BR priv discount is loaded on to my Oyster card. I dont see why railcards cannot be loaded onto or issued as smart cards.

 

[renegademaster]

I dont think the ID photo being accessible without mobile signal is actually an issue. If no signal , its just scanning a code and seeing if it matches the public key, which you can do offline, and if you do have signal you can verify the photo too. As per the normal approach to fare evasion , you dont need to catch every impersonator , just enough to create a detterent.

 

[cool110]

So surely it is very simple if you choose to use your phone for your railcard then YOU take responsibility for that phone being charged.

The problem with that argument is that some of us don't get to make that choice.

 

[Meerkat]

Having a plastic railcard that I could load tickets on would be great

 

[Russel]

Just being asked to produce a railcard during a ticket check would drive down misuse...

My F&F railcard is digital but I can't actually remember the last time I was asked to produce it.

 

[renegademaster]

Just being asked to produce a railcard during a ticket check would drive down misuse...

My F&F railcard is digital but I can't actually remember the last time I was asked to produce it.

In my experience its extremely rare to get asked for it on Local services, but Avanti/LNER/GA(On the London-Norwich route) always do

 

[Russel]

In my experience its extremely rare to get asked for it on Local services, but Avanti/LNER/GA(On the London-Norwich route) always do

Strange that, I used Avanti from Lichfield to Euston and GA from Liverpool Street to Colchester and the return journey on Saturday, the only ticket check was on the Colchester - Liverpool Street part of the journey and they didn't ask to see my railcard.

I make this journey every other month and this isn't unusual in my experience.

 

[cool110]

I've only been asked twice. Once by the rent-a-thugs at Manchester Piccadilly P13/14 exit, and the other time by a particularly keen LNR guard. Never onboard with Avanti or Northern.

 

[Mikey C]

I've occasionally been asked for my digital railcard on board, though I often show it anyway.

 

[Russel]

I've occasionally been asked for my digital railcard on board, though I often show it anyway.

I don't open the app unless I'm asked.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Why not download a set of basic railcard info (photo, date of issue and expiry, name, DOB) to the ticket checking device every few hours?

So what happens to the passengers who purchase a railcard at the same time as a ticket and travel immediately?

 

[AlastairFraser]

I've only been asked twice. Once by the rent-a-thugs at Manchester Piccadilly P13/14 exit, and the other time by a particularly keen LNR guard. Never onboard with Avanti or Northern.

I think some age profiling is definitely in operation. I've been asked for my railcard on Northern on about 40% of journeys and I'm in my early 20s.

So what happens to the passengers who purchase a railcard at the same time as a ticket and travel immediately?

Should have a railcard receipt to prove time of purchase - explaining the lack of railcard info on the device.

 

[negone]

As someone who has a ENCTS I assume that local councils could offer, if it’s technically possible a subsidised Senior Railcard as an add on feature for a annual payment.

I am 27 months into a 3 year digital Senior Railcard and the other week was the first time I have been asked by a train guard to show it.

 

[JLH4AC]

As someone who has a ENCTS I assume that local councils could offer, if it’s technically possible a subsidised Senior Railcard as an add on feature for a annual payment.

I am 27 months into a 3 year digital Senior Railcard and the other week was the first time I have been asked by a train guard to show it.

If the ENCTS was reformed to be more like the Scottish National Entitlement Card, tickets and passes could be loaded on the smartcard this could easily be expanded to include the possibility of loading railcard discounts on said smartcards. Local councils could offer the applicable Railcard to be pre-loaded on the smartcard which could be offered at a subsidised rate for select users (Given current government policy likely just those on means tested benefits unless it is one of the more well-off councils.) by the council.