New ticket machines 'not waterproof'

[Mojo]

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/disp...tentPK=17333027&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922

SORRY, IT'S THE WRONG TYPE OF RAIN

Commuters were unable to use new ticket machines at Nailsea train station because they don't work when it is raining.

The touch-screen machines were installed at the station two months ago but only came into use this week.

However, commuters say the screens cannot be seen clearly in bright conditions and when it rains the machines do not work at all.

As a result, most of the 50 passengers who boarded the train to Bristol yesterday morning did not have tickets.

Passengers said they could have been fined if a First Group employee at the station had not made the guard aware of the problem.

Roger Trowbridge, 59, of Walnut Close, Nailsea, was one of those left without a ticket to Bristol, where he works as an engineer for the civil service.

He said: "The machine has been there for a couple of months with a black hood on it but it only started working a couple of days ago.

"On the first day it was sunny and I had to put my coat over my head to see the screen clearly.

"Then yesterday morning it was pouring with rain and the screen wouldn't work at all.

"I was forced to get on the train, like many other passengers, without a ticket.

"There are signs all over the station saying unless you have a ticket you face a £20 fine or must pay double the standard fare, whichever is more.

"Fortunately a First Group employee knew about the problem and was able to inform the guard on the train, who issued us with tickets.

"There is no way I would have paid the fine and if this happens again and one of the inspectors tries to fine me, I will refuse to pay."

Mr Trowbridge has been catching the train to his workplace in Lawrence Hill for more than 20 years and said until recently there were few problems with the service.

"Until six months ago it was quite a good service and there was a ticket seller who was very good and offered a fast service," he said.

"However, since the introduction of the new rail franchise he was removed."

Lance Cole, spokesman for First Great Western, said: "It is correct that First Great Western recently expanded its Penalty Fares zones - but our train crew carry pagers that tell them if a ticket machine at a station is not working and alert them to let passengers purchase tickets on the train.

"Claims relating to the risk of customers being fined are not accurate. Crews on this route are fully aware of this issue.

"We have challenged the manufacturer of the ticket machine to resolve the issues of it not being waterproof - as it is meant to be.

"We apologise for the inconvenience to our customers and assure them that the Penalty Fares rule is flexible in these circumstances and that we are working hard to resolve the service issues with the ticket machines."

Reader Comments
Worle station is the same. First GW are being misleading to say the guards will know about any ticket machine problems. The rain issue DOES NOT show up on their monitoring system. The machines appear to work but the touch screen fails in parts of the screen..usually the corners, which is where the BUY TICKET option is. I have witness the gateline staff argue with passengers over this, and then make out they are doing them a favor 'this time' by letting then off the penalty.
jake, Weston

 

[westcoaster]

same as the ones on the silverlink route they dont like the cold/snow/rain. now everymorning and afternoon they send out pager messages of broken/not working ones so we know.

 

[WessexWarrior]

Fairly sure that this affects the SWT machines as well. The machine outside Soton Airport Parkway didn't work after it rained earlier this week.

 

[Jordy]

They sound a bit useless TBH! Surely FGW weren't stupid enough to forget to mention they were for use outside hock:

 

[Dennis]

I'm sure FGW will follow SWT's example and build shelters over them. This will ensure the machines don't get wet and save customers standing in the piddling rain whilst purchasing their tickets.

I guess heaters will be needed in the winter if the ticket machines are affected by cold.

 

[Nat the Ned]

There are several poorly situated TVMs (Ticket Vending Machines), staff expressed concerns about the siting at Liskeard yet they went ahead and put it there, now when the suns out the screen cant be read and when it rains the rain operates the machine, its down for relocation. If they'd listened in the first place!! Then its First for Arrogance!!

 

[Jim]

There are several poorly situated TVMs (Ticket Vending Machines), staff expressed concerns about the siting at Liskeard yet they went ahead and put it there, now when the suns out the screen cant be read and when it rains the rain operates the machine, its down for relocation. If they'd listened in the first place!! Then its First for Arrogance!!

There is still wires for another 1 at Trowbridge that hasn't been installed yet & the 1 that is there hasn;t isued a single ticket yet

 

[Mojo]

The one at Filton Abbey Wood is stupidly located too, it's on the Bristol bound platform next to the former ticket "office," so if anyone is coming from the entrance on Emma-Chris Way/Filton Avenue towards Cardiff or Gloucester, they have to go all the way over there to get to it. It's not helped by the fact that disabled ramps from the footbridge make you go half the way round the station to get to each platform.

I've heard the one at Paignton is poorly sited too because it's not visible from the side entrance when the ticket office is closed or something?

 

[Ian Macavoy]

I hope lessons of the past are rembered, heaters in winter used to cause ticket stock to become damp and stick, i would like a quid for everytime i opened Harlingtons Quickfare to sort out this problem

 

[class 313]

FCC ones I've used in the rain worked, but suffer when its full sun as you cannot see the screen very well if at all!

 

[devon_metro]

The Paignton one is just asking to be vandalised!

 

[yorkie]

I wonder if Farce have a policy of making decisions that actually result in less passengers having tickets, so that they can charge then penalty/standard fares to boost revenue.

I believe it's the case with the ftr (See topic in other transport) where the machine does not accept all legal tender and this fact is not well advertised, and it seems to be the case on FGW, too.

From Farce's perspective, if they can ching just a small number of passengers into paying huge fines/fares, then they will earn more money than if everyone paid a small fare. (Credit to Chris Cooper for pointing this out in the other topic).

Logically, Farce should have put more conductors on trains, to ensure more tickets are checked/issued and also to cut vandalism and present a good service to the public. Farce, however, spend ££££s on draconian Penalty Fare schemes, expensive ticket machines that don't work properly and are (deliberately IMO) poorly sited, and other gimmicks. I am sure passengers would rather see the money spent on more, good quality staff, rather than threatening the public with fines.

 

[Mojo]

The problem is though, yorkie, the trains are just too full for conductors. On my local line (Severn Beach Line) all stations bar Temple Meads are unstaffed.

On off peak trains, it is rare for the conductor to get into the front coach before Clifton Down. Normally on the train I catch (0748 from Redland) we have the Conductor attempting to do tickets for the rear coach (never gets more than about 4 seats down), plus the doors, and there's a Train Assistant in the front coach. But on Tuesday we had another Conductor just doing tickets in the back coach in the middle. At Montpelier, over 30 people piled on and stood in the passageway, effectively boxing her in, unable to do tickets at all. At Stapleton Road, the Train Assistant came running to the back, saying the carriage was "too full" and it was impossible to do tickets. So by the time we left Lawrence Hill, there was the Conductor and the Train Assistant crammed in 1 corner, and the 2nd conductor crammed in the middle, completely unable to do anything.

There's a man, every single morning without fail, has £1.50 in his hand. As soon as we pull up into Lawrence Hill, he puts the money back into his pocket and gets off. What could be done? The queues at the Temple Meads barriers for 1 man and his Avantix are extremely long. I bet if you are at the back of the queue it could easily double your journey time.

From Monday, we're having our fares 'simplified' (but with some massive % increases), to make it easier for the conductor to issue tickets. Any journey Bristol TM - Clifton Down will be £1.50 Sg, £2.00 Rt - Any journey Clifton Down - Severn Beach will be £1.50 Sg, £2.00 Rt. Covering both of those areas it will be £2.00 Sg and £3.00 Rt. Children and Railcard holders get a 50% discount. All of this is in preparation for installing 'car park' style TVMs and selling carnet tickets in local shops.

Will it work properly? I wouldn't like to see 50 odd people queueing at every station in the morning, only to miss their train, and given the reliability of parking meters from vandalism on visible streets, I don't want to know what will happen to ones on sheltered station platforms. The train staff still won't be able to sell everyone a ticket if the train is *so* full they can't get round (before TVMs are installed.)

 

[David]

At least there is ticket machines that can be used when ever. (If they work.)

At Scunthorpe, there is 1 ticket machine This is in the corner of the quite cramped ticket office. Guess what? when the ticket office closes for the day, no one can use it because it's locked up.....

 

[Max]

Northern have combatted the problem of not getting down the train in-time, between Cottingham and Hull by always putting at least 2 TTIs on the train at peak times (and often off peak too). At Beverley, the station before, there is no machine, and only one ticket window, so many people often don't bother to buy tickets, and between Bridlington and Beverley all but Driffield are unstaffed. Of course, if the ticket office hadn't been closed at Cottingham (about 12 years ago ish), there wouldn't be this problem now. It was really a pretty short-sighted decision.

 

[Mojo]

On peak trains on all lines entering Bristol at peak hours, it would probably be impossible for any member of staff to get down the train because of the number of people standing. What they need to do is have a staff member & ticket machine on the busiest stations, and provide additional staff to sell tickets on the barrier lines.