SWR ticket service check

[Lewis66655]

I’ve just had an odd experience, 2 people in SWR uniform but non revenue inspector uniform boarded the train at Waterloo and went through the carriage with iPads and contactless readers and checked tickets. When I asked if they were RIs, they said no and said they were performing a ticket service? They demanded tickets and checked railcards, but I’m unsure for what purpose. I was a bit confused because it was very hard to tell they were actually railway staff.

Does anyone know if this is a new SWR policy and whether you can opt out

They also couldn’t read my ITSO card and asked where I was travelling from.

 

[Starmill]

It's called a ticketless travel survey. It's common across the whole network and it isn't new. They usually don't have the ability to scan ITSO or Aztec codes either, so would likely just mark you down as valid ticket if you presented one without visible text, which is why they may have been asking where you were travelling between.

They are supposed to carry photo IDs with the name of whomever they're working for.

 

[Lewis66655]

It's called a ticketless travel survey. It's common across the whole network and it isn't new. They usually don't have the ability to scan ITSO or Aztec codes either, so would likely just mark you down as valid ticket if you presented one without visible text, which is why they may have been asking where you were travelling between.

They are supposed to carry photo IDs with the name of whomever they're working for.

Interesting, they were scanning Aztec tickets and I could see it displaying whether it was an off-peak/peak tickets and whether there were any railcards. First time I've had one of these

 

[Hadders]

This'll be a ticketless travel survey. They happen every quarter and are one of the main KPIs on which TOCs are measured by the DfT.

 

[Joe Paxton]

This'll be a ticketless travel survey. They happen every quarter and are one of the main KPIs on which TOCs are measured by the DfT.

I'm far from convinced how valid they are for their purported purpose though - if you're a fare evader, I'd think you'd be just as likely to want to sidestep a check from them as from an RPI, not least because the distinction between the two is far from obvious at a distance.

 

[reb0118]

I've generally not been impressed with them when encountering them on my trains. The last time was when working a six carriage train (2× 170 with no gangway connection). I saw them on the platform and gave them the heads up that I had not been in the front three for a while, so if they wanted to find ticketless travellers, to at least send one member there. No, they did not seem to understand so boarded the coach I was currently working and proceeded to get in my way. They were lucky to check two coaches out the six - and of those coaches everyone had a ticket. Maybe that was their instructions? To only find what the industry/government wants them to find?

 

[flythetube]

In most instances unless specifically working alone. they are instructed to work in pairs working at opposite ends of the carriage and meeting in the middle, then move to the next carriage.

They should be working with on board staff and liaising if tickets have just been checked in that portion and they should be referring any revenue due now issues directly to on board staff if discovered.

They should also be checking with on board staff what their policy is regarding Advance on wrong train and expired Railcards so that any contraventions can be correctly recorded they don’t bother staff if for instance they have a 1 hour leeway on Advances on wrong train etc.

There maybe times when it is dictated on the surveyors diagram which portion of a train is to be surveyed so they are not being obstructive if they happen to need to survey your portion!!

 

[Hadders]

In most instances unless specifically working alone. they are instructed to work in pairs working at opposite ends of the carriage and meeting in the middle, then move to the next carriage.

They should be working with on board staff and liaising if tickets have just been checked in that portion and they should be referring any revenue due now issues directly to on board staff if discovered.

They should also be checking with on board staff what their policy is regarding Advance on wrong train and expired Railcards so that any contraventions can be correctly recorded they don’t bother staff if for instance they have a 1 hour leeway on Advances on wrong train etc.

There maybe times when it is dictated on the surveyors diagram which portion of a train is to be surveyed so they are not being obstructive if they happen to need to survey your portion!!

This isn’t a normal ticket check by RPIs. It’s a ticketless travel survey undertake on behalf of the DfT.

The staff work in a similar way to RPIs but they aren’t RPIs. All they do is note details of whether a valid ticket is held and if they don’t what the contravention is.

The output of the report is a key indicator on which TOC performance is measured by the DfT.

 

[flythetube]

This isn’t a normal ticket check by RPIs. It’s a ticketless travel survey undertake on behalf of the DfT.

The staff work in a similar way to RPIs but they aren’t RPIs. All they do is note details of whether a valid ticket is held and if they don’t what the contravention is.

The output of the report is a key indicator on which TOC performance is measured by the DfT.

Whilst the survey is independent, surveyors will consult / liaise with onboard staff especially those with working ticket equipment to gather in any revenue due that gets spotted during the survey.

Most on board staff are happy to have the extra hands checking tickets and it’s easy for the onboard staff as they don’t have to go looking for issues.

It’s a win win for everybody.

I believe that 2.7% of ticketless travel is accepted as normal (according to franchise documents in the public domain)