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Advice on gate line procedures anyone?

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matt_world2004

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For underground stations the amount the gate line is shut/open is reflected on the stations scorecard (Performance report) and this incentivses staff to push it to the limit as to what is acceptable distance to be away from the gate line before it should be open.

Some staff will go for a wee break/get a coffee leaving the gate line closed thinking they are only going to be a couple of minutes.

I imagine there might be similar targets for TOCs too.
 
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Alex27

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Another thing that appears to be wrong here is the 'green button' I assume this refers to the open gate button on the SCU (Station Control Unit), this should be locked at all times unless a member of staff is actively using it.
 

Horizon22

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Another thing that appears to be wrong here is the 'green button' I assume this refers to the open gate button on the SCU (Station Control Unit), this should be locked at all times unless a member of staff is actively using it.

And I'd be surprised if the average member of the public knew which of the buttons to press on the SCU which isn't intuitive; it has gate numbers on it which suggests that they may have some railway/gateline knowledge
 

rg177

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The "green button" to me could either be the "All open" or the individual open button for a respective gate (unlikely as the SCU should be locked if unattended), or the EMO which powers down all of the gates and is intended for emergency use only.
 

800002

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Some gate lines have a green button / plunger type button, sometimes on the platform side of the wide aisle gate which opens the single gate.
South Eastern HS at St. pancreas has one, which is a time saver in not turning a key every thirty seconds.
 

Mojo

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Is there a release button on each gate or just one on the SCU?
A green button that is key operated (it can either be locked to be active or deactivated) was retrofitted to one or two gates (normally the wide aisle gate) where the normal standing position for staff is on the opposite side of the gate from where tickets are inserted / smartcards are scanned. This acts as a “one shot release” function to allow one person to pass through the gate. The reason for this was to prevent staff having to lean across the gates or get in the way of customers to let people through. These are only at some stations and is not a standard feature but was installed by specification of the Toc.

In addition, every gate has a key slot which also performs the same function. On the E1 gates (these are the original type of gates) that appeared this appears on the newell post under the ticket slot and is accessed by sliding up a badge (this is normally a round badge with the CTS logo, but on LU and some early installations is the LU roundel). On the E2 gates this is uncovered and is on the right hand side on the inside.

The above refers to the Cubic gates, which is most installations nationwide. Not sure how S&B gates works.
 

Trackman

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It isn’t. At the outlying and quieter stations it is very common for the gates to be monitored by staff in the office. Each station has its own assessment of how the gates should be monitored.
I think East Acton is one. My friend new to the tube nearly got stuck in the barrier and it had swallowed their ticket. I used the intercom and they were back in a flash and opened the large gate.
 

BluePenguin

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I see the employee quote often.

Think I’m going to have a word with him myself when I see him.

Probably not the right way to think and maybe I’m a bit old fashioned but I don’t wanna grass him up.


Thanks mate. Totally agree with your first paragraph. It wound me up as I really didn’t see what options the guy had.
Although it is not a case of “grassing him up” but reporting him for his outrageous conduct at work. He was not doing his job properly and behaved badly.

He should have left the gate open whilst he went to the toilet rather than shouting at that passenger, especially up close with no mask. Instead of apologising for their mistake and then going on to try and prevent them from getting on the train in vain effort to show that they are the one “in charge“ is pathetic. A quick “Sorry, didn’t leave the gate open as it is late and didn’t think anyone would be around” is all that was needed.

Regardless of your age and how intimidating you may be, direct confrontation is not wise. They have no reason to listen to your warning and could cause YOU trouble on another occasion when travelling at that station.

What’s to stop this employee from treating another passenger this way in the future? If the incident is recorded by management then they will be more likely to heed the advice given rather than a casual telling off from us passengers
 

ItchyRsole

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Although it is not a case of “grassing him up” but reporting him for his outrageous conduct at work. He was not doing his job properly and behaved badly.

He should have left the gate open whilst he went to the toilet rather than shouting at that passenger, especially up close with no mask. Instead of apologising for their mistake and then going on to try and prevent them from getting on the train in vain effort to show that they are the one “in charge“ is pathetic. A quick “Sorry, didn’t leave the gate open as it is late and didn’t think anyone would be around” is all that was needed.

Regardless of your age and how intimidating you may be, direct confrontation is not wise. They have no reason to listen to your warning and could cause YOU trouble on another occasion when travelling at that station.

What’s to stop this employee from treating another passenger this way in the future? If the incident is recorded by management then they will be more likely to heed the advice given rather than a casual telling off from us passengers
Noted & you’re right. Thanks.
 

Wolfie

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Although it is not a case of “grassing him up” but reporting him for his outrageous conduct at work. He was not doing his job properly and behaved badly.

He should have left the gate open whilst he went to the toilet rather than shouting at that passenger, especially up close with no mask. Instead of apologising for their mistake and then going on to try and prevent them from getting on the train in vain effort to show that they are the one “in charge“ is pathetic. A quick “Sorry, didn’t leave the gate open as it is late and didn’t think anyone would be around” is all that was needed.

Regardless of your age and how intimidating you may be, direct confrontation is not wise. They have no reason to listen to your warning and could cause YOU trouble on another occasion when travelling at that station.

What’s to stop this employee from treating another passenger this way in the future? If the incident is recorded by management then they will be more likely to heed the advice given rather than a casual telling off from us passengers
You might be doing the employee a favour too. Take that attitude and behave like that with the wrong person, particularly late at night, and that employee could find himself facing physical assault or worse. It shouldn't happen whatever the provocation but....
 

bramling

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Legally speaking, the passenger arguably committed an offence under Railway Byelaw 9(2). I assume there was no remote camera facility the passenger could have used?

From a customer service perspective the employee was in the wrong, and it would be quite justifiable for you to raise your concerns with the TOC concerned.

I can’t see anyone being too bothered about the passenger breaching a byelaw, especially if they had a valid ticket. The gate line shouldn’t have been unsupervised.
 

Stigy

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I can’t see anyone being too bothered about the passenger breaching a byelaw, especially if they had a valid ticket. The gate line shouldn’t have been unsupervised.
Agreed, and even if there was anyone there to enforce it (presumably the gate line assistant wasn’t revenue as one would assume they’d have make even more waves for this customer and quoted a few Byelaws), It would be easily defended in court, even without legal representation to be honest.

The attitude of some staff beggars belief. It’s always been the same, strangely more so in public transport than in other industries?
 

Aictos

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The gates should absolutely be left open if they are unattended, it's not safe otherwise. Another thing that really irritates me is when the WAG is just left open with the rest of the gates still in operation (and unattended), most definitely not protocol.
The reason for that is quite simple, the gateline logs when it's gates are in use and when they are opened so the TOC or agency who employs the member of staff knows full well if and when the gates have been left open.

One way to get around this which I don't agree with and which I believe is both bad practice and unsafe is some staff leave the wide gate open but keep the regular gates closed.

If the member of staff has to leave the gateline for whatever reason and they're on their own then they should open all the gates, this could be a a toilet break, having to move away from the gateline to help a passenger buy a ticket at the TVM etc, I must stress that this is my personal view.
 
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