Plusbus farce at Glasgow Central

[Pemberton]

Yesterday morning, I politely went to the Scotrail manned station level ticket office at the Argyle Street entrance to Glasgow Central Station. I showed my Glasgow to a Midlands station train tickets for later in the day and asked for 2 x Glasgow PlusBus tickets to do a few hours touring around before our train back. Over the course of the next couple of minutes I was told "PlusBus doesn't exist anymore", "this is a train station, you'll have to ask on the bus" and "Glasgow doesn't do it". Despite my calm reasoning to the contrary and showing proof of it's existence and my right to purchase, the gentleman was having none of it and actually cut the audio we each spoke into, so we couldn't hear each other, thus ending the discussion. I went up the escalator to the Avanti manned ticket office and purchased my PlusBus tickets there in less than a minute.

 

[GusB]

Yesterday morning, I politely went to the Scotrail manned station level ticket office at the Argyle Street entrance to Glasgow Central Station. I showed my Glasgow to a Midlands station train tickets for later in the day and asked for 2 x Glasgow PlusBus tickets to do a few hours touring around before our train back. Over the course of the next couple of minutes I was told "PlusBus doesn't exist anymore", "this is a train station, you'll have to ask on the bus" and "Glasgow doesn't do it". Despite my calm reasoning to the contrary and showing proof of it's existence and my right to purchase, the gentleman was having none of it and actually cut the audio we each spoke into, so we couldn't hear each other, thus ending the discussion. I went up the escalator to the Avanti manned ticket office and purchased my PlusBus tickets there in less than a minute.

Well, you've clearly already discovered that Glasgow does do it, by virtue of the fact that Avanti staff were happy to oblige! The link to the relevant Plusbus web page is here:

Glasgow PlusBus

Glasgow PlusBus

www.plusbus.info

A Glasgow PlusBus ticket gives you unlimited bus travel on First, McGill's and Stagecoach bus services, around the whole urban area of Glasgow city, as shown by the travel maps (below).

This includes bus travel to/from the University of Glasgow campuses.

If you're inclined to make a complaint (there's no excuse for the rudeness that was on display here), there's a link to the Scotrail customer relations form here:

Customer Relations

We really want to hear your comments about our services. Please complete this form to tell us what you think or to ask us a question. For urgent enquiries, please contact us on 0344 811 0141. To report safety issues, please use Help Points, speak to rail staff, or call us between 7am and 10pm on...

www.scotrail.co.uk

 

[Leisurefirst]

I had a weird one there at a ScotRail window on the main concourse last year.
Sold me the PlusBus ticket but only after - literally - chucking an RTV I wanted to use back at me. (Twice IIRC).

 

[Merseysider]

If it ain’t a straightforward train ticket to Edinburgh or elsewhere north of the border they aren’t interested.

Definitely contact SR so that others (hopefully) can have a better experience in future.

 

[route101]

I have purchased a plusbus from Glasgow Central before with no issue.

I remember using the Queen St ticket office to buy a ticket to England and told to go to Glasgow Central.

 

[Peter0124]

I remember using the Queen St ticket office to buy a ticket to England and told to go to Glasgow Central.

Considering you can actually get to England from Queen St (especially ECML) with a change at Edinburgh, and it shouldn't actually matter what ticket office you buy from, I can't understand why they didn't sell you it.

 

[Jim the Jim]

I'd have taken a photograph of the staff member on my phone so there would be no doubt as to who I was complaining about to the employer! Appalling behaviour.

 

[Pemberton]

I have contacted Scotrail about the interaction and will update on the reply.

 

[Bungle965]

I'd have taken a photograph of the staff member on my phone so there would be no doubt as to who I was complaining about to the employer! Appalling behaviour.

That’s pretty unlikely to yield any sort of results, more likely you’ll get a fob off with “we assure you we have taken your comments onboard and will feedback to the line manager, unfortunately for data protection reasons we cannot divulge anymore etc etc“

 

[robbeech]

Considering you can actually get to England from Queen St (especially ECML) with a change at Edinburgh, and it shouldn't actually matter what ticket office you buy from, I can't understand why they didn't sell you it.

I CAN understand why. Sadly.

That’s pretty unlikely to yield any sort of results, more likely you’ll get a fob off with “we assure you we have taken your comments onboard and will feedback to the line manager, unfortunately for data protection reasons we cannot divulge anymore etc etc“

Followed by an internal forwarding of all correspondence to the nearest bin I suspect.


If staff don’t want to do the job they’re paid to do then it comes across as the ideal industry. Sadly this makes it all the more difficult for the vast majority that really want to help.

 

[redreni]

I CAN understand why. Sadly.


Followed by an internal forwarding of all correspondence to the nearest bin I suspect.


If staff don’t want to do the job they’re paid to do then it comes across as the ideal industry. Sadly this makes it all the more difficult for the vast majority that really want to help.

I can only speak for myself, but if I wanted to be paid to do a job but not actually do it, I would be much more attracted to a role such as Rail Ombudsman or Chief Executive of Passenger Focus. Why limit your ambition to failing to sell train tickets to people when you can be useless at a much more senior and strategic level?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I can only speak for myself, but if I wanted to be paid to do a job but not actually do it, I would be much more attracted to a role such as Rail Ombudsman or Chief Executive of Passenger Focus. Why limit your ambition to failing to sell train tickets to people when you can be useless at a much more senior and strategic level?

Sounds just like the "Peter Principle" (mis)management concept from half a century or so ago.

Anyhoo, if the Avanti ticket desk ever permanently shuts at Glasgow Central, does that mean that Plusbus or indeed any AngloScottish tickets won't then be available from the Scotrail ticket office?

 

[Peter0124]

I CAN understand why. Sadly.

Why?

 

[robbeech]

Why?

They are unwilling to do the job they’re paid for and have got away with it for years. I don’t buy the concept that they haven’t been trained and told that they can sell tickets to places outside of Scotland. If they’ve been told that (plausible but unlikely) and have believed it then they’re less intelligent than we thought.

That said, the difference in ability and knowledge between members working in the same ticket office can be huge. I bought a day ranger ticket from a station outside the validity of said ranger using rail travel vouchers and a bit of cash the other day and it was quicker than another member of staff issuing a day return to the nearest city using contactless.

 

[Wallsendmag]

Is there any signage saying what they do and don’t sell?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Is there any signage saying what they do and don’t sell?

Always used to say "Tickets - Scottish destinations".

 

[northwichcat]

Always used to say "Tickets - Scottish destinations".

Glasgow was certainly in Scotland the last time I checked!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Is there any signage saying what they do and don’t sell?

Always used to say "Tickets - Scottish destinations".

Glasgow was certainly in Scotland the last time I checked!

The point is that the signage doesn't say "Tickets - English/Welsh destinations".

 

[robbeech]

The point is that the signage doesn't say "Tickets - English/Welsh destinations".

How would one go about obtaining a ticket to an English or Welsh destination from there then? It is without question that you’d be penalised for buying on board.

 

[Buzby]

Yesterday morning, I politely went to the Scotrail manned station level ticket office at the Argyle Street entrance to Glasgow Central Station. I showed my Glasgow to a Midlands station train tickets for later in the day

Whilst there is no excuse for rudeness - I had this problem in reverse at Manchester Piccadilly. I was told they did not sell them and I should have purchased them from my ticket retailer. The forum’s supplier includes the option if your destination supports it. I can only assume the problem is verification of a rail journey and railcard discount to get it at the reduced rate, and to discourage walk-ups who know a bargain. Further, the PlusBus can only be valid on the day of your rail journey either inbound or outbound. I wanted it for the day before my return journey but that wasn’t allowed.

Lastly, using my PlusBus on the Bee Network routes, the card has to be shown to the driver - it cannot be scanned. Of my 6 journeys - 4 of them called me back to closely examine the ticket before giving the OK. I’d suggest next time, you get your ticket WITH your rail ticket as it saves (some) of the hassle.

 

[rg177]

I've never had the sale of a PlusBus (standalone) refused at any ticket office. I just flash my ticket/Railcard and explain what I'm after. A guard has even sold it (standalone) before when I've asked. It can definitely be done without issues (as it should be).

I've had a few weird complaints from drivers - a First driver in Halifax once complained my ticket was too cheap (for quite a long time it was £2 with a Railcard for all of West Yorks) but by and large, nobody has given me grief buying or showing.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Yet more award winning customer service from Scott rail booking offices shown here in this thread. If it is transport Scotland's aim to go against the rest of the country after last years fun and games and dispose of them entirely then making the usage of them as difficult as possible is certainly one way of going about it as it then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy but honestly none of this should be difficult and I'm not sure if we fix it by dragging Scott Rail up by the short and curlies and telling them to get a grip or if we ditch the plus bus product for something that's perhaps a little more understood and appreciated by both industries, it's fair to say that the current system is not free of issues

 

[Mcr Warrior]

How would one go about obtaining a ticket to an English or Welsh destination from there then? It is without question that you’d be penalised for buying on board.

Round the corner at the Avanti ticket office, presumably?

 

[northwichcat]

Round the corner at the Avanti ticket office, presumably?

How would the average passenger know that? In England and Wales passengers are constantly told that any ticket office or machine can sell tickets for any operator's services.

I've had a few weird complaints from drivers - a First driver in Halifax once complained my ticket was too cheap (for quite a long time it was £2 with a Railcard for all of West Yorks) but by and large, nobody has given me grief buying or showing.

I wonder if that works the other way around if their fares are proportionally higher than a competitor's?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

How would the average passenger know that? In England and Wales passengers are constantly told that any ticket office or machine can sell tickets for any operator's services.

Queue up at the Scotrail ticket counter, and then be told politely where to go?

 

[robbeech]

Queue up at the Scotrail ticket counter, and then be told politely where to go?

The railway, helpful as ever.

Round the corner at the Avanti ticket office, presumably?

My apologies I was talking about the example posted above about Queen Street not Central.

 

[Haywain]

Queue up at the Scotrail ticket counter, and then be told politely where to go?

Yep, it's been like that since well before privatisation.

 

[Carntyne]

There is no interest within our management to deal with issues like this, so it won't change unfortunately. Complaints about staff tend not to go anywhere.

 

[Gathursty]

Is Scotrail behaving like Merseyrail then? Nothing to do with us, not going to help you.

 

[Class800]

There is no interest within our management to deal with issues like this, so it won't change unfortunately. Complaints about staff tend not to go anywhere.

Sadly too often the case - management very keen to investigate abuse of staff but not so keen when it's abuse by staff of customers - yet there are times when it does get sorted and I celebrate those moments really. Be positive. Stagecoach took 'appropriate disciplinary action' against a coach driver who I reported for making jokes about being drunk.