Southern only travelcard - starting short

[bnm]

SWT staff are getting worse and worse I'm afraid - whilst the vast majority remain very pleasant if sometimes rather clueless, there do seem to be an increasing number of "tools" around.

For example in the last couple of months I've been challenged/given hassle for break of journey at Basingstoke and Winchester three or four times when returning from Reading/London on Day Returns. Its flipping basic that BoJ is allowed on outward and return journeys on these SWT tickets.

Away from the topic being discussed, I have to agree, based on my own anecdotal evidence, that gateline staff at SWT managed stations do sometimes appear clueless when it comes to BoJ rules.

I've been refused exit at Salisbury, where I was changing trains, with a ticket valid for BoJ, by a gateline staffer. On querying this made up rule I was told I could face a Penalty Fare! I had to wait nearly 10 minutes for a station supervisor to turn up and confirm I was allowed to pop outside for a smoke! At Woking I had a gateline staffer say to me, "You can't exit here, you've got a ticket to London." Again, when I had a ticket valid for BoJ.

 

[embers25]

Unfortunately Salisbury,Basingstoke, Winchester and Guildford are legendary for cluelessness on break of journey. I find Woking in general to be the only station (and I've been to most if not all barriered stations) on SWT not to have issues with break of journey. There is one person who still gives me grief if I'm on the outward portion but a quick request for a supervisor and you are let through.

 

[Matt Taylor]

I don't disagree that some people will likely try and use 'route Southern' tickets on longer distance services from all over the overlapping area such as down in South Hants, but surely they should be discovered by the regular on train checks?

Being discovered is one thing, getting them to upgrade or get off is quite another. Frankly the best way to manage this is to prevent people getting on the trains in the first place.

 

[LexyBoy]

Being discovered is one thing, getting them to upgrade or get off is quite another. Frankly the best way to manage this is to prevent people getting on the trains in the first place.

What exactly would the upgrade be, given that excessing TOC specific tickets is not permitted?

How do you stop people getting on the trains (at places like Epsom, Portsmouth etc) in the first place? I suppose where there are barriers they can be programmed to reject all TOC specific tickets, and barrier staff told to direct those customers to the correct train, but this would mean more work so I can't see it happening.

 

[Matt Taylor]

What exactly would the upgrade be, given that excessing TOC specific tickets is not permitted?

How do you stop people getting on the trains (at places like Epsom, Portsmouth etc) in the first place? I suppose where there are barriers they can be programmed to reject all TOC specific tickets, and barrier staff told to direct those customers to the correct train, but this would mean more work so I can't see it happening.

It does happen, at least in Portsmouth and Havant, from time to time. With regards to excesses, the correct procedure would of course be to sell a new ticket and refund the other one later. Reality may be different but I don't work on those lines so I can't really comment.

 

[AlterEgo]

It does happen, at least in Portsmouth and Havant, from time to time. With regards to excesses, the correct procedure would of course be to sell a new ticket and refund the other one later.

That's if the original is refundable...and even if it is, it might not be economical to refund given admin fees.

 

[LexyBoy]

It does happen, at least in Portsmouth and Havant, from time to time. With regards to excesses, the correct procedure would of course be to sell a new ticket and refund the other one later. Reality may be different but I don't work on those lines so I can't really comment.

I don't think it's a bad idea at all to ensure people get the correct train - I can imagine lots of pax would buy the (cheapest) ticket, and ask "which is the next London train" (possibly showing their ticket, which may not be looked at), so could easily end up on an invalid train by mistake.

Ditto at London - I personally don't have a problem with the barriers rejecting the tickets and pax being advised that their ticket is not valid on trains all the way to their origin station, as long as the barrier staff know and are clear that the ticket is valid in the TC zones!

Regarding the correct procedure, I wouldn't call that an 'upgrade' since it's not an addition to their ticket but rather a new ticket (or PF if applicable). But that's another issue!

 

[David Goddard]

Is the problem of "Southern Only" travelcards being rejected unique to Waterloo, or does it happen elsewhere on SWT or across the capital, such as Kingston, Richmond or Wimbledon, or other termini like Charing Cross.

 

[yorkie]

I was let through on a southern only ticket at waterloo. But I doubt think he looked at the route and just saw that it was a Travelcard. No sign of the aforementioned woman. I was satisfied that they are not acting incorrectly. I will probably be there again this evening and will report back if there is an issue.