Barriers are left open for a very large number of reasons, but should only be open for 45 minutes max. Gateline has the highest turnover of any railway role because it's paid the lowest, so there's effectively a permanent staff shortage. Sickness could cause a hole but there's usually relief (from another station or an agency worker), but this isn't perfect as the staff are still entitled to a break. It's unsafe to leave the barriers shut and unattended, so they're open.
How is this supposed to help revenue protection measures, and prevent ticket less travel.
A lot of fare evasion is done from stations without barriers, and as
@zero mentioned, how would you know the barriers are going to be open?
That’s terrible and not acceptable , I take it you’d already bought a ticket ? Have you thought about writing to your MP and DfT?
I genuinely cannot tell if this post is intended to be satirical or not. What do you expect an MP or the DfT to do? Ban staff from taking breaks when alone? I think even fewer people would be lining up for national living wage without even a lunch break. Next we're going to be complaining that the gates open for fire alarms!
Shrewsbury this evening the gates were wide open at around 1845 when I went to buy some food outside the station. When i came back in 10mins later the gates were closed and being manned by one guy. Presumably he had nipped to the toilet or something and he has to leave them open while hes gone as they cant be left unattended.
Precisely. The person operating the gates is required to leave them open if they are going to go somewhere that takes more than 5 seconds to reach the gates.
