Should railcards be linked/verified to online accounts?

[fandroid]

This is a rotten idea as suppose I buy a non refundable advance and then dont travel why on earth should I lose the cost of a railcard if I did not have one when I bought the ticket

But, to look on the bright side, you obviously either expected to regain the whole cost of the Railcard in that one transaction, or to cover the remaining cost later on. In the meantime, the amount lost on the Advance ticket had been reduced by 30% !

 

[Tester]

But, to look on the bright side, you obviously either expected to regain the whole cost of the Railcard in that one transaction, or to cover the remaining cost later on. In the meantime, the amount lost on the Advance ticket had been reduced by 30% !

Are you from sales?

 

[sheff1]

There is a reason why transport providers require a pass.

A reason which clearly does not exist in other countries. I have bought discounted train and bus tickets in various European countries without having to show proof of entitlement at either the purchase stage or when travelling.

 

[Belperpete]

A reason which clearly does not exist in other countries. I have bought discounted train and bus tickets in various European countries without having to show proof of entitlement at either the purchase stage or when travelling.

Are you proposing that we should have a compulsory national ID scheme in the UK?

As previously mentioned, most European countries require you to carry ID with you, that you can be required to show to prove your entitlement if an RPI doubts your age. I have never been asked to show it, but I have seen other people required to show their ID during a ticket check

We aren't required to carry ID with us in the UK, so some other means of verifying an age-related discount is needed. Unfortunately a system that allowed anybody to buy a discounted ticket without ever having to show their entitlement to that discount would be widely abused in the UK.

 

[Llanigraham]

I answeres that in my comment.

Did you? I certainly didn't see any financial response on how the income would be replaced.

There is already a list of disability proof required to apply for a Railcard. You would use that exact same proof.

To get my card I have to provide a letter from the experts that deal with my disability, so you expect me to carry that document with me on each journey I make?
Sorry, but that suggests you have very limited experience of what hidden disabilities are able to get the Card and the evidence needed.

You wouldn't.

Really? I would suggest that I would quite likely be asked; I have been in the past.
And so was my son when he was issued with one for a short time.

This is actually another problem - people paying for Railcards they might not make their money back on.

Why is it a problem? If people want to buy into a discount system because they think they MIGHT need it, surely that is a good thing?
Their money, their choice.

 

[sheff1]

Are you proposing that we should have a compulsory national ID scheme in the UK?

No, I was stating the "reason" (whatever that is) clearly did not exist in other countries.

 

[styles]

Did you? I certainly didn't see any financial response on how the income would be replaced.

Yes I specifically mentioned determining the cost of administering the Railcard scheme, modelling changes to it and adjusting fares accordingly.

To get my card I have to provide a letter from the experts that deal with my disability, so you expect me to carry that document with me on each journey I make?
Sorry, but that suggests you have very limited experience of what hidden disabilities are able to get the Card and the evidence needed.

I guess you haven't read the comments above where I conceded the Disabled Railcard may be the main exception here because of the array of proof documents and interpretation required, though really the government ought to sort out a national card, as I know I get frustrated with every provider having different standards of proof etc anyway. Everything from my school exam boards to cinemas to rail.

Really? I would suggest that I would quite likely be asked; I have been in the past.

You wouldn't, because you would have the same proof used for the Railcard.

Why is it a problem? If people want to buy into a discount system because they think they MIGHT need it, surely that is a good thing?

Asking the public to pay for a discount for public transport which they may come off financially worse from is not good for customers.

Their money, their choice.

Well yes, though in a public transport system, we try and regulate things a bit better as we deem it a public service. We should do things in the public's interest, not just the interests of the industry. That's why we have capped fares for example, rather than just saying well their money, their choice

 

[IanMac]

I am struck by the number of railcard users who encounter difficulties, whether or not of their own making, in matching their discounted tickets to valid railcards. I suggest that it would be a useful exercise - both to diligent users and to GBR as the future mega-TOC - to establish and maintain some sort of database linking every valid railcard, uniquely numbered, to its coverage, expiry date and holder id.

Then when a discounted ticket is bought, if the railcard is valid for the booked travel date its number would be printed on the ticket. A discounted ticket bought by or for someone who does not hold a valid card at the time of purchase would be provisional, only becoming valid if and when it is linked with a valid railcard number.

I accept that this would require sellers of rail tickets (online as well as paper) to have access to the railcard database as well as the fares database, and for railcards bought (like mine) at a ticket office to be accessible to sellers system-wide.

The current loophole allowing expired or non-existent railcards to get discounts would be closed (and buyers would be reminded of expiry), and forgeries and card sharing would be more easily detected.

 

[1D54]

Said it before and will say it again, the fraudulent use of railcards must be astronomical but nobody in the industry seems that bothered and it must be costing a small fortune in lost revenue.

I have a mate who recently was having problems at the last stage of renewing a Senior, it was needed for a trip to Newcastle and i told him to go to the station and purchase a 12 month one which he didn't want to do, he asked me if he could borrow mine and i refused. There would have been no problems but i didn't feel easy about doing it.

Totally agree with the above post from IanMac and just think of the sudden downturn on people seeking help on the prosecutions section of this forum.