TOCs getting external funding to keep stations/gates manned?

[jon0844]

On Saturday, I overhead revenue officers talking about Hatfield and saying that the the nearby shopping centre (The Galleria) has contributed to the staffing of the gateline - to keep them in operation for longer.

Now, the Galleria closes at 8pm and the gates stop at 8pm so it can only mean during the day, or perhaps at weekends. Like my other listening in (regarding the 313s), I didn't join in and just listened!

And the reason for the outside investment? Because since the gates have been installed, there has been a huge reduction in shoplifting at the shopping centre! Presumably people going out to steal don't much fancy buying a ticket and go somewhere else (well, it's nice to think they stay at home but that's doubtful).

I am not 100% sure this is true, but if it is - do other private companies contribute to increased security at stations?

Seems like a good idea, which benefits everyone in the long run. I think most normal people (that excludes most accountants) already know that revenue protection and secure stations results in a drop in crime and anti social behaviour.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

I can't comment on any schemes which involve railway station security, but I am familiar with other schemes in which policing is funded. In some of these, the funding comes from the local Universities, and in others, from the local night-time leisure operators.

Comparable neighbourhood policing schemes are managed through local multi-agency partnerships, with acronyms such as SNAPS or MAPPA. It would be perfectly possible for Station management to be a partner in such a scheme.

 

[Pumbaa]

In LM land, barriers are manned at different times to ticket office opening. Although this is done under contract to Meteor, as is Southern's RPI team. Meteor are a wholly owned Govia company though, and they also do most of LM's parking solutions. They probably do on LM and SE and SN as well, but I am unaware. When LM offices close for lunch, the barriers will remain manned by Meteor staff. Similarly, in Herts land, when the office has closed for the day, the barrier will remain manned for a while longer.

 

[causton]

Interestingly, in FCC the reverse is true - where the ticket office is open sometimes the barriers are unmanned - with no obvious gateline staff around that could have been on break or anything!

...as an employee of one of the shops at the Galleria, I won't comment on the shoplifting part of it ...but I've not heard anything about this partnership! (not that I expect I would!)

 

[blacknight]

Interestingly, in FCC the reverse is true - where the ticket office is open sometimes the barriers are unmanned - with no obvious gateline staff around that could have been on break or anything!

Are the gates unmanned & left open?
Might just be a case of staff shortages having installed gates TOC's find financilly the cost of staff wages is not justified by revenue being brought in.

 

[jon0844]

Revenue staff at Hatfield are occasionally called to help with stings at other stations or to provide cover elsewhere.

The gates can be left open as a result even though the ticket office is open as normal.