TfW 'Buy before you board' posters

[mmh]

These posters appear to be all over the TfW network. I'm on the Cambrian and I'm wondering how these are not in breach of some regulation or other. How can it be 'the law' at (for example) Penrhyndeudraeth where I snapped this shot? It is unstaffed with no TVM.

I presume the rule still applies that with no facility to buy before travel, a full range of fares can be obtained on board (and yes, I am aware that TfW crew are not doing commercial duties due to Covid 19), or at the first opportunity (interchange with more than the minimum connection time etc.)?

Sorry - couldn't get the image to rotate!


View attachment 99277

In a coincidence, I took a picture of the same poster at Conwy station yesterday, another unstaffed station with no TVM. Do they not think before putting these things up?

 

[Envoy]

Why do they presume that everybody goes around with a mobile phone? (I usually do not carry my mobile phone - especially in summer when I don’t have a pocket for it).

 

[mmh]

Why do they presume that everybody goes around with a mobile phone? (I usually do not carry my mobile phone - especially in summer when I don’t have a pocket for it).

Well that's easy to answer - they know that the vast majority of people do. Until this week I had never bought a ticket on a phone, hugely preferring a ticket office or where that's unavailable a ticket machine. If TFW weren't "forcing" me via pricing to use their m-ticket app I would still have never used my phone for a ticket.

 

[Dr Day]

TfW are probably simply:
1) Trying to save marketing budget with single poster that covers off all their stations, both rural and urban
2) Trying to encourage as many people who want to buy tickets to buy in advance of travel
3) Trying to encourage a shift towards lower-cost (for them) forms of ticketing
4) Trying to move away from the culture of 'pay on board/pay when challenged' without the formalities and costs of a Penalty Fare scheme

 

[WelshBluebird]

Reminds me of when Arriva Trains Wales put up similar posters on the South Wales Valleys stations a few years ago, well before most of them had a TVM (and they certainly aren't manned stations). When questioned on Twitter they couldn't seem to answer why they had put up the posters at stations they do not offer ticket buying facilities at.
I wouldn't be surprised if it is the same staff involved now as it was then to be honest!

 

[Haywain]

If instead of this:

So no one is checking if I pay then why should I bother.

the posters encourage this:

"I heard you can't board without a ticket anymore and have to use your phone. Better get a ticket, just incase!"

then they seem perfectly reasonable.

 

[WelshBluebird]

then they seem perfectly reasonable.

Except they don't seem reasonable at all as you do not have to use your phone.
If the posters were a little more polite, and suggested that if you wanted to make life a bit easier then you could use your phone, then I'd have no issue with them.
But as they are suggesting that you have to use your phone if there's no other option at the station - TfW are essentially lying to passengers with that.

 

[RPI]

Are TfW now the only TOC not doing onboard checks?

 

[py_megapixel]

Are TfW now the only TOC not doing onboard checks?

The poster says they are doing onboard checks

 

[RPI]

The poster says they are doing onboard checks

But from what others are saying in reality they're not?

 

[Blinkbonny]

I'm just back from a South Wales Rover and never had an onboard ticket check all week.

Even when the guard came through asking for Request Stops he wasn't looking at tickets.