Sheffield Station - Checking Tickets

[bjones787 10]

just a quick point..

it's cross contry trains that are manning, and holding, the barriers at the station this week, not Stagecoach (east midlands trains) who manage the station.....

They appear to be operating in shifts, this afternoon (~17:25) it was all cross country, this morning (~08:05) it was all Northern/EMT (in MML Uniforms).

[pushtotalk 10]

Travelled to Leeds this morning and upon my arrival at Sheffield station i needed to use the cash machines just past the burger king entrance...

 

You'd have though i was a terrorist as i tried wandering past a posse of ticket staff who obviously thought i was after a free trip.

 

 

I just used the NatWest machine!

[Alex C. 10]

My local station (when I lived down south) started barriered checks for a few months as a trial (they never bothered with them permenantly in the end) - and the hassle it gave me on several occasions was unbelievable.

 

The problem was simply that I was making a three minute train journey from a station where the machine didn't work (I had reported it twice, but apparently it was my duty to report it every day until it was fixed), with no ticket office, to one with barriers.

 

I was told I had to find the guard, which is what I did, if I could - but these were trains that were 12 carriages long, and split in the middle, so it was pot luck which part of the train the guard was in. I was accused several times of lying about the broken ticket machine, and generally treated in an appaling manner.

 

Another example of fantastic barriering I've come across - on the tube. Due to the flooding last year, I was diverted via London - and my ticket said NOT LONDON on it. I confirmed with the train manager that it would still be valid on London Underground and they said yes. When I got to the barrier, we were let IN to the barriers fine - but coming out, there were about 5 people in front of me - all off my train - being told they had to pay as they couldn't get across London. They all paid up, and I argued the toss about it - eventually she said "I can check with my supervisor, but I know what the answer will be" - she did, and he told her we could go through for free, as that was the case.

 

Exactly the same coming back, and the initial woman I spoke to refused to radio the control room, so I had to ask for her supervisor. Both times I was delayed by 5-10 minutes.

 

I've since found out (I think!) that these 'revenue protection inspectors' are on commission and have targets. Which means that they are likely to try and scare you into paying up. They work fine when it's a simple "I have a ticket, here it is" situation, but for anything else, the staff assume that you are a criminal. In my experience.

[Plain Talker 11]

What you're basically saying is that EMT are paying money to install barriers simply to make life difficult for people? Have I got that right? Because thats ridiculous thing to say.

 

It is being done to make sure that everyone who uses the trains, and not just EMT but all the other TOCs, pays their way. I fail to see the problem with that.

 

Your comment about people with luggage or wheelchairs etc is also invalid because there will be a staffed gate where you will be able to show your ticket and they will let you through. (As with every other station in the country which has barriers.)

 

I agree that if it means people cant cut through the station to get to town, the other bridge at the South end of the station should be upgraded to make it safer to use.

 

you havent looked at the point of the difficulties faced by people using the bridge to get from the Park Hill area to the cultural industries quarter.

 

The alternative bridge is unsafe, in terible condition, and not really accessible, for anyone with a pram, luggage, mobility difficulties and definitley not to a wheelchair user! Not to mention the fact that it actively takes you away from the city centre where you are aiming for.

 

I am not happy about the unacceptable detour they face, if they can't use the station- bridge, particularly the bit where there are no dropped kerbs, which effectively bars the way to any wheelchair using traveller.

 

The bridge was not built solely for the use of the station.

 

It was for the use of the wider community, and it's outrageous that it is proposed to prevent the community it was provided for the benefit of, aren't going to have the benefit of it.

[Cyclone 10]

you havent looked at the point of the difficulties faced by people using the bridge to get from the Park Hill area to the cultural industries quarter.

 

The alternative bridge is unsafe, in terible condition, and not really accessible, for anyone with a pram, luggage, mobility difficulties and definitley not to a wheelchair user! Not to mention the fact that it actively takes you away from the city centre where you are aiming for.

 

I am not happy about the unacceptable detour they face, if they can't use the station- bridge, particularly the bit where there are no dropped kerbs, which effectively bars the way to any wheelchair using traveller.

 

The bridge was not built solely for the use of the station.

 

It was for the use of the wider community, and it's outrageous that it is proposed to prevent the community it was provided for the benefit of, aren't going to have the benefit of it.

 

I think you're missing the fact that anyone can still use the bridge and pass through the station, they are given a free platform only ticket. Bit of a pain when it's busy, but not the end of the world.

[Plain Talker 11]

ps doesn't anyone find it strange that the companies can draft in such massive numbers for an excercise like this, yet plead utter poverty when asked to provide sufficient numbers of staff for day-to-day running, and efficient issue of tickets etc?

[tonynmorris 10]

I am a regular rail user travelling weekly to work or leisure trips through Meadowhall to Barnsley or to Sheffield. Now Meadowhall Travel Complex is brilliant either Buss, Train or Tram, but why must they pend wasted time and energy looking for people smoking and sit gossiing in the Security office. They should be protecting the public and also assist at platforms when buses are either late or more often dont turn up. Meadowhall Interchange as a whole is spotless and clean, but staff are never that visable and are disaorganised i.e. no real presence or smoking in the car parks especially the female blond women often seen smoking somewhere.

 

Rotherham interchange is well run, and as for Barnsley great staff who are friendly and know the services. As for Sheffield Pond Street interchange, well why do they keep changing it and just what is the point of regular face lifts. As for ticket barriers at railways stations, the people they employ are rude, ill-mannered, sweary and gobby. keep the stations open for access without prejudice of being a service user.

[Plain Talker 11]

I think you're missing the fact that anyone can still use the bridge and pass through the station, they are given a free platform only ticket. Bit of a pain when it's busy, but not the end of the world.

 

only during these revenue protection exercises:- last time, when all this pantomime went down, in november-ish, last year, there were at least two forumers I know of, who were accused of fare-dodging when going about their legitimate business, passing through the train station after travelling on the tram, and disposing of their tickets in the bins at the tramstop.

[Plain Talker 11]

I had fun and games on my journey to l**ds today, trying to run the gamut of the "revenue protectionistas"!

[Cyclone 10]

were they given the platform tickets? Or did they sneak in?

 

It's a perfectly workable system, in as far as allowing pedestrian access. It won't stop fare dodging at all, but it still allows people through.

[Cyclone 10]

I had fun and games on my journey to l**ds today, trying to run the gamut of the "revenue protectionistas"!

 

They aren't running a charity, revenue protection is a fair thing for them to do, they just have to try to minimise the inconvenience to those not fare dodging.

[metalman 21]

Just sounds to me like another reason to avoid the train station altogether.