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Sheffield station needs a 'Tickets for today' queue.

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I travel quite often from Sheffield station. I am grateful for the half price train fares that those of us having a bus pass are entitled to when travelling locally. I also have a 'paid for' rail card that I use when I travel outside the area.

 

I buy tickets online when I can, but there is no facility to do so for discounted local travel. We must buy tickets prior to travelling, fair enough, it stops fraud. But I see no reason why there can't be a designated queue, as there is at Doncaster station, for people travelling straight away. I've waited, yet again, behind people with lengthy enquiries and buying railcards when all I wanted was a day return. Luckily I'm aware of the poor service (3 booths open, long queue) and give myself plenty of time.

 

It doesn't take a genius to see that by designating one booth, the same number of customers are served, and the customer service is improved.

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Do the ticket machines in the main hall (and the one at the back entrance) not give you this discount?

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You do realise you've mentioned customer service and the railways in the same breath right???

 

The two are mutually exclusive.

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Rail managers get free travel so they simply do not see the problem

 

Also I was surprised the other day when I bought two tickets together on the same booking and went to collect them that rather than getting the tickets in one process I had to get the tickets in two separate transactions re-insert my card, type in the new code and wait - hope you were not in the queue behind me!!!!

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Do the ticket machines in the main hall (and the one at the back entrance) not give you this discount?

 

No. The machines work with railcards, but the senior local discount varies across the country. Here it's half price with a valid bus/travel pass, some places include trains with other free transport. I've used the machines to buy and collect other tickets.

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The ticket office used to be split like you suggest but these days so many tickets are sold either online or via self service machines there is little point.

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Yes, I agree with eveything that's been said, except that bit about local rail discounts for senior citizens. I don't understand any of that....

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The ticket office used to be split like you suggest but these days so many tickets are sold either online or via self service machines there is little point.

 

Even one booth where staff could call forward customers from the main queue would surely be beneficial. As the OP states there is a travel today queue at Doncaster station...

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Even one booth where staff could call forward customers from the main queue would surely be beneficial. As the OP states there is a travel today queue at Doncaster station...

 

The two stations are operated by different companies.

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The two stations are operated by different companies.

 

technically until Sunday they are both operated by Stagecoach true still separate companies but same parents

 

Whilst Stagecoach may not wish to embrace good ideas from other companies one might have thought they would copy good ideas from their own sister companies

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Yes, I agree with eveything that's been said, except that bit about local rail discounts for senior citizens. I don't understand any of that....

 

Those of us in receipt of state pensions are eligible for an all England bus pass. In South Yorkshire we can travel free by bus or tram during designated periods, and half price on local trains. The rail discount can only be applied by buying a ticket over the counter.

 

---------- Post added 22-06-2018 at 16:55 ----------

 

Even one booth where staff could call forward customers from the main queue would surely be beneficial. As the OP states there is a travel today queue at Doncaster station...

 

Spot on. They manage to do it quite easily there. It doesnt affect the number of people buying tickets, but it provides a more efficient, more customer focussed service.

 

Sorry Andy, although more people now use online services and machines, many don't., and many of us can't. There were about 20 people queuing behind me when I got served this morning. I hope no one missed their train.

Edited by Ms Macbeth

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The two stations are operated by different companies.

 

They’re also in different cities. It doesn’t mean they can’t adopt the same idea.

 

---------- Post added 22-06-2018 at 17:32 ----------

 

Those of us in receipt of state pensions are eligible for an all England bus pass. In South Yorkshire we can travel free by bus or tram during designated periods, and half price on local trains. The rail discount can only be applied by buying a ticket over the counter.

 

---------- Post added 22-06-2018 at 16:55 ----------

 

 

Spot on. They manage to do it quite easily there. It doesnt affect the number of people buying tickets, but it provides a more efficient, more customer focussed service.

 

Sorry Andy, although more people now use online services and machines, many don't., and many of us can't. There were about 20 people queuing behind me when I got served this morning. I hope no one missed their train.

 

This is one of my personal bug bears. There are many people, for many different reasons, who cannot/do not use the internet in the same way most of us do. They’re being increasingly isolated and disadvantaged by those who make the decisions and think nothing of running their lives online but don’t consider those who can’t.

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