Could the UK be like the Republic of Ireland in terms of banning access to stations without a ticket?

[aron2smith]

What is it with a small minority view in the rail industry? Barrier all stations this, fine people any chance you get that over minor things. It's offputting to see fare evasion obviously but must we treat everyone as a criminal all the damn time?! It's obnoxious! And as if we haven't all done it at some point. Also, quite a few British stations were built with rights of way in mind. Edinburgh, Sheffield and York quickly come to mind. Quite rightly caused an issue when access was limited at Nottingham and I think Guildford before that? Needing a ticket just for the platform is stupid! I'd rather see a railway that is properly staffed and where tickets are purchasable on the train or failing that, the way Germany does it, no barriers but you must validate your own ticket. If TFL can't stop beggars on the Tube and Overground, a full ban from the railway is impossible to enforce and if we want to keep growing the railway's share of all travel, this shouldn't be desirable either. I hate those accusing announcements on the SWR, who do they think they are?

 

[AY1975]

Platform tickets do not exist in Ireland.

Does this mean that you're allowed onto the platform if you're meeting someone or seeing someone off?

 

[sk688]

.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

What is it with some of the people on this website? Barrier all stations this, fine people any chance you get that over minor things. It's offputting to see fare evasion obviously but must we treat everyone as a criminal all the damn time?! It's obnoxious! And as if we haven't all done it at some point. Also, quite a few British stations were built with rights of way in mind. Edinburgh, Sheffield and York quickly come to mind. Quite rightly caused an issue when access was limited at Nottingham and I think Guildford before that? Needing a ticket just for the platform is stupid! I'd rather see a railway that is properly staffed and where tickets are purchasable on the train or failing that, the way Germany does it, no barriers but you must validate your own ticket. If TFL can't stop beggars on the Tube and Overground, a full ban from the railway is impossible to enforce and if we want to keep growing the railway's share of all travel, this shouldn't be desirable either. I hate those accusing announcements on the SWR, who do they think they are?

Agreed.

IE have a very passenger unfriendly approach. It should not be prohibited to simply stand on a platform and watch the trains or see someone off without a ticket. The UK’s railways are already disgracefully passenger-unfriendly without being made more so.

 

[Turtle]

Agreed.

IE have a very passenger unfriendly approach. It should not be prohibited to simply stand on a platform and watch the trains or see someone off without a ticket. The UK’s railways are already disgracefully passenger-unfriendly without being made more so.

Unfortunately, the longer I've been a member of this forum, I'm more inclined to agree.





and more inclined to agree.

 

[aron2smith]

Agreed.

IE have a very passenger unfriendly approach. It should not be prohibited to simply stand on a platform and watch the trains or see someone off without a ticket. The UK’s railways are already disgracefully passenger-unfriendly without being made more so.

Have to admit I wasn't expecting anyone to agree with me on here, such is the attitude on here, this was a pleasant surprise. I'd rather the solution be to staff all trains as much as possible, for the tube this would be the stations instead of the trains though. TFL are rubbish at staffing stations on the edge of the tube like Loughton, Greenford and Oakwood! Anyway, travelling around our (Britain's) rail system visiting all the different regions, I grew to appreciate the places like the north where nearly every train was staffed with the conductor/ inspector. Their presence isn't just for tickets, they help people more than we realise and for some reason trains that serve places around London don't seem to have this kind of presence. Making gate staff look more like bouncers like I saw at Sevenoaks the other day wasn't pleasant and is off putting!

Also intending to visit all the Irish and Northern Irish stations over this summer/ autumn myself with one of the rover tickets (iLink in the north), so should be interesting to see how they staff their trains. Hopefully they only know to check the ticket once, in Wales they seemed to check 3 times between Carmarthen and Cardiff which was so annoying!

 

[dubscottie]

⁸

Irish Rail barriers & Revenue Protectionare a joke outside of Connolly/Pearse/Heuston

Grand Canal Dock is a free for all apart from the once in a year RPU blockade , otherwise the barriers are set to be left open

On the southside, sandymount aside , every station has barriers open nearly all the time ( dun laoghaire fare evaders use the side entrance on the southbound platform)

I commute from glenagaery to Tara street. Following the removal of the barriers at the rear entrance to Tara Street it's become a free for all using the Townsend St entrance

As an NTA worker, while I've followed this thread with great interest, but on a personal level I am surprised by Irish Rails llax approach to revenue protection within the GDA

Keep an eye out for you next time.
We cannot be everywhere at once.
If you are with the NTA, you know legally, what happens.
You folks really cause headaches
We know what happens in Dun Laoghaire.
And Tara St? 100% chance fined or told to politely "**** off "

Irish Rail barriers & Revenue Protectionare a joke outside of Connolly/Pearse/Heuston

Grand Canal Dock is a free for all apart from the once in a year RPU blockade , otherwise the barriers are set to be left open

On the southside, sandymount aside , every station has barriers open nearly all the time ( dun laoghaire fare evaders use the side entrance on the southbound platform)

I commute from glenagaery to Tara street. Following the removal of the barriers at the rear entrance to Tara Street it's become a free for all using the Townsend St entrance

As an NTA worker, while I've followed this thread with great interest, but on a personal level I am surprised by Irish Rails llax approach to revenue protection within the GDA

We know. 312 fpns in two hours in Dun laoghaire.

⁸

Keep an eye out for you next time.
We cannot be everywhere at once.
If you are with the NTA, you know legally, what happens.
You folks really cause headaches
We know what happens in Dun Laoghaire.
And Tara St? 100% chance fined or told to politely "**** off "


We know. 312 fpns in two hours in Dun laoghaire.

And GCD? You may test your assumption at your own convenience.
.

Agreed.

IE have a very passenger unfriendly approach. It should not be prohibited to simply stand on a platform and watch the trains or see someone off without a ticket. The UK’s railways are already disgracefully passenger-unfriendly without being made more so.

Unfortunately...we are rude because, we had a suicide. We have to pretend to be nice.
Take a deep Breath and carry on,

 

[yorkie]

Unfortunately...we are rude because, we had a suicide. We have to pretend to be nice.

Is this company policy?

 

[sk688]

⁸

Keep an eye out for you next time.
We cannot be everywhere at once.
If you are with the NTA, you know legally, what happens.
You folks really cause headaches
We know what happens in Dun Laoghaire.
And Tara St? 100% chance fined or told to politely "**** off "

Ironically after posting, was checked for the first time in months on Saturday evening going into town around Sandycove. Great to see

Since the introduction of the 90 minute fare I simply do not understand any motivation to fare evade , as 1/2 EUR is ridiculously good value in comparison to the fares in the UK.

Do you see IR security taking on revenue roles in a way that Luas security do in the future, or will the roles remain operationally seperate

 

[dubscottie]

Is this company policy?

No. But when you get some stuck up ... screaming at you. And they make it personal, blaming me. They swear at me.. I swear back. Respect works both ways.
Maybe its a culture difference between Ireland and the UK.
And its a bye-law 17 offence.

I have had people screaming at me while I am on the phone to report a one under.
"Where are the replacement buses", "You guys are a joke"..
Zero thought to us.

Do you see IR security taking on revenue roles in a way that Luas security do in the future, or will the roles remain operationally seperate

No. Irishrail inspectors have to be employed by Irishrail and they go through 3 weeks of training regarding law etc. Exam.
Once that is done you get your warrant card.
Any security are there to support IR staff or report incidents to IR control.

What is it with a small minority view in the rail industry? Barrier all stations this, fine people any chance you get that over minor things. It's offputting to see fare evasion obviously but must we treat everyone as a criminal all the damn time?! It's obnoxious! And as if we haven't all done it at some point. Also, quite a few British stations were built with rights of way in mind. Edinburgh, Sheffield and York quickly come to mind. Quite rightly caused an issue when access was limited at Nottingham and I think Guildford before that? Needing a ticket just for the platform is stupid! I'd rather see a railway that is properly staffed and where tickets are purchasable on the train or failing that, the way Germany does it, no barriers but you must validate your own ticket. If TFL can't stop beggars on the Tube and Overground, a full ban from the railway is impossible to enforce and if we want to keep growing the railway's share of all travel, this shouldn't be desirable either. I hate those accusing announcements on the SWR, who do they think they are?

Platform tickets were the norm. 1980s or early 1990s I think they stopped being sold in the UK.

 

[stadler]

No. But when you get some stuck up ... screaming at you. And they make it personal, blaming me. They swear at me.. I swear back. Respect works both ways.
Maybe its a culture difference between Ireland and the UK.
And its a bye-law 17 offence.

I have had people screaming at me while I am on the phone to report a one under.
"Where are the replacement buses", "You guys are a joke"..
Zero thought to us.


No. Irishrail inspectors have to be employed by Irishrail and they go through 3 weeks of training regarding law etc. Exam.
Once that is done you get your warrant card.
Any security are there to support IR staff.

What an awful attitude to passengers you have. A customer being rude to you is no excuse to be rude back. Staff should be professional. Remaining polite and professional even under stressful circumstances is a basic part of any job working with the public. If a customer swears at you that does not mean you should swear back at them. If a customer is rude to you it does not mean that you should be rude back to them. All that does is escalate things and put yourself at a risk of a bigger confrontation. It also gives railway staff and the railway company a bad image. I worked as a Guard for BR from the 70s to 90s and i got my fair share of rude customers but i never would have dreamt of being rude back to these people. That is an awful way to handle things.

 

[dubscottie]

Does this mean that you're allowed onto the platform if you're meeting someone or seeing someone off?

No. Now discretion is always used.

What an awful attitude to passengers you have. A customer being rude to you is no excuse to be rude back. Staff should be professional. Remaining polite and professional even under stressful circumstances is a basic part of any job working with the public. If a customer swears at you that does not mean you should swear back at them. If a customer is rude to you it does not mean that you should be rude back to them. All that does is escalate things and put yourself at a risk of a bigger confrontation. It also gives railway staff and the railway company a bad image. I worked as a Guard for BR from the 70s to 90s and i got my fair share of rude customers but i never would have dreamt of being rude back to these people. That is an awful way to handle things.

You don't work in Ireland. We are 100% professional. We can switch off. Go from good morning to **** off and back.
Different culture.
As I said.. we had a one under. Trying to stop traffic and some one in a suit was screaming at me about missing a meeting...
Tapping on my shoulder while I was calling the signalman.
I won't repeat what they said to me and what I said to them. But it ended with the F word.
I don't know where you work, but abuse towards staff is not acceptable here. Yes people shout at the person in the uniform, but if you make it personal? We will prosecute you if we can.
Just to be clear.. abuse towards me in the uniform and abuse towards me personally whilst wearing the uniform.

 

[AlterEgo]

Not a great advert for Irish rail travel it has to be said.

Working front line with the public will always be a difficult job, and it's on you to stop yourself from seeing customers in such a negative way. It really does come across here quite badly.