[Travel] Brighton Station Exit and Re-enter farce

[jackalbion]

Been doing my head in this, been going on for months. My understanding is, it is to stop people interchanging via Brighton who do not have the correct ticket to a station where there is no barrier, for example Aldrington to Moulescoomb, or buying a Victoria to Battersea Park ticket, and the getting off at somewhere on the coast.

 

[ROSM]

As many have said, this is a direct result of a move to driver only operated trains and less of the promised 'mobile' revenue protection/assistance

It always was a false economy. Makes the network less accessible and also less safe (for example violence against women on the rail network is up by 50% with 31 assaults a day)

 

[trueblue]

Or just be totally barrier free and have “control” or a guard check on the bus, tram, u-bahn, s-bahn or train. Far easier for everyone.

Last time I was on a train in Germany, the guy with the ticket inspector was carrying a machine gun. That was effective!

 

[happypig]

Last time I was on a train in Germany, the guy with the ticket inspector was carrying a machine gun. That was effective!

Did you make it to Switzerland or get returned to your Stalag ?

 

[Hotchilidog]

Or just be totally barrier free and have “control” or a guard check on the bus, tram, u-bahn, s-bahn or train. Far easier for everyone.

Just got back from Vienna where this is the system and yes we did get our tickets checked on one occasion. You can move freely around the city but the fines are very punitive if caught without a ticket. A very easy city to get around on public transport

 

[Guinness Boy]

As many have said, this is a direct result of a move to driver only operated trains and less of the promised 'mobile' revenue protection/assistance

It always was a false economy. Makes the network less accessible and also less safe (for example violence against women on the rail network is up by 50% with 31 assaults a day)

It's not just that....

Just do what all the scum bags do , push through or even push through the barriers in front of the agency staff as they won’t do anything anyway . The free loaders have been getting away with it since Covid when you could literally travel for free and they just don’t care anymore , gone are the days of hiding in train toilets or pretending to sleep , they just turn around now and say their phone has died so can’t show ticket or just say they aren’t buying one and nothing is done about it . Boils my piss

It's this too.

On the train back from Vic to Portslade last Friday day time and the on board supervisor comes through just after Gatwick. The girl behind me had been talking loudly on her phone since East Croydon. Matey asks to see the ticket and she doesn't have one. In the space of ten minutes she tells him she's going from Gatwick to Burgess Hill and, when her card doesn't work for that journey plays the race card and then the mental health card. All he does is tell her she might get a fine if revenue inspectors join the train. She was still in her seat at Portslade.

Chuck. Them. Off.

 

[rippleman]

Been doing my head in this, been going on for months. My understanding is, it is to stop people interchanging via Brighton who do not have the correct ticket to a station where there is no barrier, for example Aldrington to Moulescoomb, or buying a Victoria to Battersea Park ticket, and the getting off at somewhere on the coast.

It's not just the little stations that don't have barriers. Southwick and Worthing (north side) don't have barriers either. Seems daft to me.

Surely cost effective to install barriers rather than employ 8-10 "revenue protection officers" at Worthing every couple of weeks.

ETA travelling back from Portslade to Worthing on Saturday. On board supervisor shut himself away in his little room at the back. Two revenue protection officers stood in the last carriage the entire journey. Didn't even attempt to check any tickets! I can do that. Gis a job!

 

[Guinness Boy]

It's not just the little stations that don't have barriers. Southwick and Worthing (north side) don't have barriers either. Seems daft to me.

Surely cost effective to install barriers rather than employ 8-10 "revenue protection officers" at Worthing every couple of weeks.

If you have barriers, don't you have to have someone present in case they genuinely malfunction? I'm pretty sure Portslade does. I've had issues with an off peak ticket not working even though it was off peak and also a printed ticket where the magnetic strip didn't work in any barrier.

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

Just got back from Vienna where this is the system and yes we did get our tickets checked on one occasion. You can move freely around the city but the fines are very punitive if caught without a ticket. A very easy city to get around on public transport

A bit off topic but watching Vienna Blood on BBC iplayer and Vienna really is a beautiful city

 

[ROSM]

I have been suffering with a slipped disc for a few months so decided when needing to travel to pay 1st class. Imagine my surprise* when I get on and find all 1st class (not just the rear coach) seats taken by people with standard tickets. I ended up having to ask for a less able to stand seat where the guy initially asked for proof I needed a seat. I nearly jokingly said only of you give me proof you have 1st class ticket. Eventually he agreed

*clearly wasn't surprised

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

A bit off topic but watching Vienna Blood on BBC iplayer and Vienna really is a beautiful city

Stunning city, and highly recommend visiting when the Christmas markets are in full flow. Amazing place.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Just got back from Vienna where this is the system and yes we did get our tickets checked on one occasion. You can move freely around the city but the fines are very punitive if caught without a ticket. A very easy city to get around on public transport

I do need to get myself to Vienna.

 

[Gazwag]

If you have barriers, don't you have to have someone present in case they genuinely malfunction? I'm pretty sure Portslade does. I've had issues with an off peak ticket not working even though it was off peak and also a printed ticket where the magnetic strip didn't work in any barrier.

Traveling quite often on F&F or TT railcards or group savers to away matches I always go to a manned barriers as they never seem to work, especially annoying on the tube

 

[atomised]

had an issue at Brighton station yesterday on the way back from London. making the change to the seaford train having to exit and re-enter was enough of a hassle with 2 kids and a tight time to make the change but we missed the connection anyway due to a clueless staff member. it was 2 adults and 2 kids on a network card. I showed the tickets. he asked to see the network card. I showed it and he said he would have to find the other adult for travelling on an invalid ticket it took half an hour of arguing about whether 2 adults was allowed on a network card thus missing the connection.
the situation ended obviously with no fine, no apology and I've put my delay repay claim in

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

My son bought a ticket from Eastbourne to Brighton recently as his season ticket had expired, but when he showed it to the guy on the gate, he was told it was invalid as he had bought a student rate ticket - and when he went to get his ID out, he realised he didn't have his student card on him. Said he would go and get another ticket, but was told they could only accept that one now, and was issued a fine. He was still on the platform & hadn't gone through the gates.
He tried sorting it out via email etc, but had no reply, then got a court summons about 3 weeks ago....& an extra £180 fine.

Hes been using the line for 2 yrs now between uni campuses without a problem (probably just automatically selected the student ticket without thinking) and the one time he doesn't have his ID, they bust him. Frustrating.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

If you have barriers, don't you have to have someone present in case they genuinely malfunction? I'm pretty sure Portslade does. I've had issues with an off peak ticket not working even though it was off peak and also a printed ticket where the magnetic strip didn't work in any barrier.

You'd think so, but I've missed my train from Lewes before because the side barriers didn't work and there wasn't anybody working there.

You'll probably have noticed on your travels that neither Sheffield nor York Stations have barriers at all. In the former case I gather the bridge across the tracks from the main station up to the tram stop is a public right of way, so apparently they can't put barriers in even if they want to.

Almost all the trains I go on do have a ticket inspector though, even if the dedication to actually checking people's tickets is highly variable.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Traveling quite often on F&F or TT railcards or group savers to away matches I always go to a manned barriers as they never seem to work, especially annoying on the tube

Yes, we use Two Together for aways. Could have been that rather than the strip as was definitely an away day when they wouldn't go through the barrier.

 

[Hotchilidog]

I do need to get myself to Vienna.

You do. I think you'd like it.

 

[Hotchilidog]

A bit off topic but watching Vienna Blood on BBC iplayer and Vienna really is a beautiful city

It's great. That was my first visit since 2017 (watched the QPR game in an Irish bar near the Opera), I used to go regularly. I'll return next year.

 

[happypig]

On Pride day I was going from Eastbourne to Shoreham to meet some mates and I had to go round and out and back. Somehow I ended up in the exit lane and had to go through the (open) exit barrier. I assumed the system was just in place for Pride but it sounds like a right ballache now.
As for tickets, I have a disabled railcard and, in the five years I've had it, have only been asked to show it once, when buying a ticket at Hampden Park.