Railway, children
Week from Monday 10th July 2023 - This Wednesday, I conducted a sort of TEST. I bought my rail ticket from a machine, using my debit card, to SEE HOW IT GOES.
THE REASON? The railway companies have made the decision to close all the TICKET OFFICES at the stations. They say it is to 'free up' staff to do other jobs, but anybody can see that it's just another way to cut labour costs and increase profit to the shareholders. They've made a show of there being a 'PUBLIC CONSULTATION' at the end of the month (there are also the usual PETITIONS flying about), but it's clear that they've already made up their minds.
They emphasise that there are 'other' ways of buying tickets ALREADY in place - the aforementioned ticket machines, a rather erratic website and their mobile apps. My own experience on WINCHESTER WEDNESDAYS has shown that the machines on the stations are frequently out of action or in need of attention. And I don't do APPS, it's as simple as that. There have been too many reports of people holding "THE WRONG SORT OF TICKET" when changing trains and having to pay all over again.
Just to rub it in, there are numerous posters and audio announcements 'reminding' you that you have to have a valid ticket before boarding the train.
But the most important thing they've decided to kill off is the HUMAN CONTACT element. Not sure when to expect your train, or where to make a connection? ASK THE MAN! Which platform do I need? ASK THE MAN! A chap in an office, behind a glass screen, is a long-established and proven way of FINDING STUFF OUT. It's also a safe place to keep the money!
I have to be able to purchase an actual PHYSICAL ticket, using real currency and on the day of travel. None of this "buying advance tickets online" lark and waving a mobile screen about. I need the 'REAL' ticket in my hand, so that I can attach it to a chitty, as physical proof of purchase, when I claim back my TRAVEL EXPENSES.
I also need there to be a REAL LIVE PERSON manning the barrier when I leave the station, to acknowledge that I do indeed have my ticket and to wave me through. Any of the current type of automated ticket barriers will swallow my ticket, thus denying me my refunds. The new-style tickets with the bar-codes are fine to use, but that's NOT currently what you get from the machine. Only from THE MAN BEHIND THE GLASS.
Later in the day, if I have indeed been forced to buy my ticket from a MACHINE (using a bank card), then I will also have the additional task of paying the petty cash back into the bank to cover it...
And I'm only making ONE (relatively short) RETURN JOURNEY per week! Imagine the kerfuffle involved for DAILY commuters or those planning 'that special day out' OOP DZAT LOONDIN. The DISABLED will almost certainly find it a major inconvenience.
Bottom line... if it becomes too difficult to TAKE THE TRAIN, then I will have to have a major rethink...
THE REASON? The railway companies have made the decision to close all the TICKET OFFICES at the stations. They say it is to 'free up' staff to do other jobs, but anybody can see that it's just another way to cut labour costs and increase profit to the shareholders. They've made a show of there being a 'PUBLIC CONSULTATION' at the end of the month (there are also the usual PETITIONS flying about), but it's clear that they've already made up their minds.
They emphasise that there are 'other' ways of buying tickets ALREADY in place - the aforementioned ticket machines, a rather erratic website and their mobile apps. My own experience on WINCHESTER WEDNESDAYS has shown that the machines on the stations are frequently out of action or in need of attention. And I don't do APPS, it's as simple as that. There have been too many reports of people holding "THE WRONG SORT OF TICKET" when changing trains and having to pay all over again.
Just to rub it in, there are numerous posters and audio announcements 'reminding' you that you have to have a valid ticket before boarding the train.
But the most important thing they've decided to kill off is the HUMAN CONTACT element. Not sure when to expect your train, or where to make a connection? ASK THE MAN! Which platform do I need? ASK THE MAN! A chap in an office, behind a glass screen, is a long-established and proven way of FINDING STUFF OUT. It's also a safe place to keep the money!
I have to be able to purchase an actual PHYSICAL ticket, using real currency and on the day of travel. None of this "buying advance tickets online" lark and waving a mobile screen about. I need the 'REAL' ticket in my hand, so that I can attach it to a chitty, as physical proof of purchase, when I claim back my TRAVEL EXPENSES.
I also need there to be a REAL LIVE PERSON manning the barrier when I leave the station, to acknowledge that I do indeed have my ticket and to wave me through. Any of the current type of automated ticket barriers will swallow my ticket, thus denying me my refunds. The new-style tickets with the bar-codes are fine to use, but that's NOT currently what you get from the machine. Only from THE MAN BEHIND THE GLASS.
Later in the day, if I have indeed been forced to buy my ticket from a MACHINE (using a bank card), then I will also have the additional task of paying the petty cash back into the bank to cover it...
And I'm only making ONE (relatively short) RETURN JOURNEY per week! Imagine the kerfuffle involved for DAILY commuters or those planning 'that special day out' OOP DZAT LOONDIN. The DISABLED will almost certainly find it a major inconvenience.
Bottom line... if it becomes too difficult to TAKE THE TRAIN, then I will have to have a major rethink...
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