Quote:
Originally Posted by James Howard
Would it not be possible to fit a TVM on the trains rather than relying on the availability of machines at a station? At least that gets rid of the too late excuse and makes it easier for the checker to verify whether or not the machine is working.
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although thats a good idea, it goes against the principal of not gettign on a train without a ticket. You cant have both.
I think that clarification has to be made on this, and at the moment we have this typical irish solution. If you are not allowed to get on a train without a ticket there should be no ticket sellers on the train. That is just plain logic. Otherwise you can get on the train without a ticket because there is a ticket seller on board to sell you tickets.
It is, I agree, totally arbitary. There is a ticket seller on the 0505 limerick-nenagh-dublin train, although on one occasion that i was using it he never left the drivers cab. However, I have never seen a ticket seller on any other of the ex-cork/limerick trains i have used in the early morning. If, for some reason, my only train was the 0505 and i was was buying tickets off him every day and the day he never left the cab i get done at the ticket barrier what defence do I have? None according to the rules as they stand. I have boarded a train without a ticket. Perhaps some of the other stations on the line are unmanned and have no TVM's, like Boombridge. Roscrea, however, is manned, although if i arrive right on time, it will be unmanned as the ticket seller is also the signalman.
What has to be done is -
1. Put TVM's into each station which is going to be unmanned, and make them issue all tickets and also accept all notes (as posted above) - it should also by default offer you the best value ticket.
2. In those stations where a TVM is not going to be safe, a notice in big letters to the effect that passengers from this station may pay on exit will be displayed. I undertsand that IE sometimes have staff in Boombridge handing out little validation slips to prove you are there.
3. No ticket sales on trains.
The other alternative is to have TVM's on trains, and you just know some smartass will be saying how they were on the Dublin-Cork train last month and used one, and when he got on the four car DART there wasnt one and thats why he has no ticket, so you can see why it may not be a runner.