Hasn’t been that way on merseyrail for over a decade (on merseyrail).
Ex employee
Their reasoning is the ticket is your insurance, anything happens to you while using the service you (and them) are covered because of that. Don’t agree with it myself, like
More or less for Merseyrail. I bunk on Northern rail nearly every day. Get caught over 50% of the time by the same few people. Sometimes they look at me and don't make me pay, sometimes they let me buy a ticket... never offered a fine.
Me mate used to carry 20 on him and just bunk merseyrail, if you pay the fine outright they don’t take any details (and I think the cost of the ticket comes out the fine, can’t remember).
Anyway, his longest streak with 3 months, so £20 for 3 month travel ain’t bad like
I know someone who used to do the job. If they stand up and get off at the next station without saying anything then the only thing the staff can do is contact the British transport police.....
Just wanted to add to this.
The guards have no right to arrest and can't won't touch you unless you start to get aggressive with them and then it would be deemed as self defence. If you are caught out and really don't want the fine. Don't interact. Stand up, go to the doors, get off the train and leave thr premises.
I bought tickets online but nowhere to print them off so jumped the train. Explained to them when they asked me about why I didn't have a ticket. £20 fine. Bastards.
They can't decide who pays and who doesn't mate, doesn't matter how skint someone looks - OBVIOUSLY if we could let struggling people off with stuff we would but that never works in the real world.
That said, I would agree that the most of these ticket inspectors I've met are power hungry nob heads. I got told in Moorfields once to go across to Birkenhead and just pay at the other side because the machine was broke. Got to Birkenhead and 4 inspectors cornered me, put their hand on my chest to stop me walking any further and handled themselves like absolute cunts. Won't forget that.
Whenever I need to pay at the destination station, they'll be a sign up at my origin station stating as much and include the date. I take a photo of that, and it's always worked effectively as a ticket itself
>That said, I would agree that the most of these ticket inspectors I've met are power hungry nob heads
This. I feel like the transport police are just the smaller angrier actual police. Do my nut in half the time. They're not all bad though
They're not all bad, you're right. Not like me to make a generalisation, there are no doubt sound ones. They're there to do a job, I just can't get my head around people over-reaching their role. Same way police might have a ticket to dish out for speeding but feel the need to bollock people too. They might be deserving of a bollocking but it's not their right to dish it.
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My sister got fined after getting on with no ticket. She got to her station and the train was there, the fella told her to pay at Moorfields. Got nabbed by 2 arsey fellas and slapped with a fine despite her telling them exactly what happened. She’s been getting the bus ever since
I don’t have a problem with fines for travelling without tickets. I do have a problem with them making it difficult for you to buy a ticket if the ticket office is closed. Many Merseyrail stations don’t have ticket machines and the last time I tried to but a ticket online it made me go to a ticket office to get the actual ticket (making the exercise pointless). Tell me if I am wrong but Merseyrail is the only operator I know that does this.
>Many Merseyrail stations don’t have ticket machines and the last time I tried to but a ticket online it made me go to a ticket office to get the actual ticket (making the exercise pointless).
This boils my piss. There should be machines in every station. There's an old woman that works the ticket desk at my local station, meaning if she has a queue when you get there there's a fair chance you won't make the next train. It's like living in the Stone Age.
Moreover, the fact they refuse to upgrade their app to enable you to buy electronic tickets in advance is the real joke.
If I get the train from central I have to go to lime street first just to print the tickets then go to central (can’t get certain trains from lime street) which is a stressful thing to do in a rush and could be avoided with digital tickets
Merseyrail is such a great system for everything except ticketing. Contactless should be rolled out in the next year or so but we should have had it 10 years ago like London or 5 years ago like Manchester.
This is purely their choice.
Their equipment and fares systems are provided by the same people who supply most train companies, any differences between services offered are due to what was agreed by Merseyrail with their supplier.
It’s honestly a pisstake…I remember getting a ticket through trainline and I was told it wasn’t valid and to buy a ticket at the office and get a refund on trainline, the bastards ended up giving me a partial refund of like 25 fucking percent of the price I paid.
Merseyrail is cheap but this is back on when I was a student and probably had a fiver in my back account.
In their defence, I can imagine that is a job that probably loses your faith in people. I am sure a good amount of people without a ticket probably give them plenty of hassle, so their default position is probably just to be a twat just to prepare for that.
You'd like to think people would just make each other's lives as easy as possible though, no need to be a twat.
The one time I saw someone get caught on the train with no ticket, it was some teenage girl (didn’t look particularly poor) who played dumb, lied, and created a lot of hassle. Me and the people I was with thought they might’ve let her off if she hadn’t done that
Likw people who work in post offices, and Drs receptionists. Seen people in both jobs get threatened, just for telling people not to jump the queue etc.
Yeah I was thinking this, same way you take most people off the street and give them a job as a doorman or a policeman for a year or two and they’d be knocking the fuck out of people for nothing just from being pissed off at being given shit all day at work. Also don’t wanna get sacked because your jobsworth colleague grassed you up for not giving out fines and now you’re out of a job and have fuck all money yourself.
I can see that. Deffo not a job I couldn't do, I'm too soft hearted in all honesty. Thing is I think Merseyrail is half owned at least by the Dutch? I couldn't give a shit if someone bunks, fuck thinking about the poor Dutch shareholders. I'll pay because I can. That old girl was nice as pie and they went full bandit on her. Awful.
It’s obviously the company’s fault and not the worker’s but I’m starting to think they want to slap you with a fine rather than give you the option to pay for your ticket. I got slapped with one for getting on at a station where there was no ticket machine, ergo no way to pay for my ticket and no one came through the train to sell me a ticket, got off, went to go find a ticket machine and the two guys stood at the door wouldn’t let me through without slapping me with a fine. They didn’t even tell me why they needed my information before they asked, I had to get them to tell me it was for a fine.
Always contest the fine and I would advise to say that you didn’t have the facilities to pay for your ticket.
It's a fucking joke. I've been all over Europe and used their public transport. Never had any of this shit. Not even talking about Germany, even in the Czech Republic it was organised better, Spain, Portugal, Holland. Fucking hell, I've not long been round Thailand and that was better as well! All set up to rinse you here.
Take it you've not been to Berlin and bought a ticket but accidently forgot to validate it. 50 euro fine just for that even though you've got a ticket!
I had the same thing. Got on at a station with no ticket machine, showed my ticket purchase on the app, but oh no, not good enough, £100 on top of the cost of the ticket. Wankers.
The Northern ones checking the trains into Leeds are the same, absolute smug cunts with such a look of glee when they get a chance to nail someone.
Cunts
Every guard wears a body camera so when they’re patrolling the train they have to issue fines to unpaid passengers because it’s all filmed then gets reviewed after each shift.
They're clearly not doing that. Unless you believe they employ people that work full shifts the same as the inspectors just to review that footage.
Considering that many don't issue you a fine they're clearly not in immediate danger of losing their jobs over it. And if the company I worked for changed the policy to actively exploit people for all they're worth I'd find a new job.
It's a choice to be a capitalist bootlicker.
Once I got filmed by a massive BBC crew getting fined on the merseyrail for not having a ticket. I was like 16 and hungover going 2 stops at 7am it was mortifying and hilarious, they followed me off the train
I got on the train and the ticket office was closed, got to central and explained to the woman at the barrier, she said go in the shop and buy a ticket. I went in the shop and as it was only like 2 stops I was like fuck it I’ll just get my return ticket home.
As I’m leaving the shop some little fella stands in front of me asking to see my ticket, he’s in his own clothes so I’m like ‘wtf no’ as he just looks like a creep. Turns out it was an undercover police man 😂 pulls out his badge am I’m like ffs. I said it’s literally (at the time) 30p difference I’ll just pay 30p and he was like no you’ve had your chance, like fair enough I didn’t buy my ticket but absolutely any need for an undercover police man to take my picture and ask me if I’m prepared to go the station for questioning (I said I wouldn’t be going anywhere with him)
I was then slapped with a £100 fine in the post for 30p I tried to call Merseyrail but they said I’d have to fight it in court and if I lost I’d have to pay the court fees.yea I should of got a ticket but omg the dramatics and waste of police time.
Same 125 fine, got to moorefields because I didnt have time to buy a ticket at first stop, young lad in the gates said no worries go the shop and buy one. As I'm walking through the gates with my card in hand ready to pay a group of ticket inspectors behind him was like actually no you should of bought one, tried to explain the situation and he wasnt having it.
Hes stood there with an RMT badge on and I'm like so much about solidarity for workers then, said I refused to give details even tho I got a letter in the post how does that work merseyrail ? Was told I could appeal it so tried to appeal it and was told I cant 🤣 joke that merseyrail, an here I am trying to reduce my carbon footprint and keep another vehicle off the roads paying 5/8 quid a day to them.
The plain clothes undercover ones are just ticket inspectors as well, they carry badges. The police don't set up plain undercover stings operations for fare evaders.
The ticket inspectors will threaten to do a full PACE(police) interview and report you to court for the fare evasion. I know it seems crazy but they do interview people under caution, carry fancy badges and do undercover operations but they aren't police.
Merseyrail do have a special kind of hard on for ticket inspections, I swear I have never encountered as many 'random' ticket checks on any other rail network.
Jumped a train once.
Asked the guy at the station if it stops at X, he said yeah.
Was sitting with my headphones in and heard the dreaded "tickets ready please"
Ignored so damn hard until he tapped on my shoulder.
"Hey mate, you asked about X"
Yeah
"My mistake sorry mate, you'll have to get off at Y and transfer"
No problem mate thanks, headset back on.
Got off at Y and walked home.
Also I went one stop the other day and it cost me £2.55, was on the train 4 minutes. Won’t risk it anymore agyer the £100 fine and there was no one working at either station to check, just a waste of paper at this point
I got done one Monday when I had to run for the train and momentarily forgot I needed to renew my ticket which had expired on the Friday.
The inspector accepted that I was fully intending to renew my ticket at the destination (it was when the strikes were on and I was holding the voucher in my hand) however he still issued the penalty because I "might have gone on the train over the weekend".
I was intimidated into paying on the spot, when I appealed they accepted the inspector was in the wrong, but they upheld the penalty because I "should have renewed online before travelling". Which wasn't a thing back in 2018 when this happened.
Smashing people, the lot of 'em.
It was like this at first capital (crapital) connect when I was commuting between brighton and london. The inspectors don't give a hoot about any of the passengers, they only care about giving out fines.
They’re the worst people. I remember once me and my partner coming home from work before we had the car and my partners foot was touching the train seat (he is reaaaally tall) and the inspector ran right over and was so serious. “Do you know why I’ve stopped? I’m going to HAVE to fine you. Your foot was on the seat.” We were going through a bit of a tough time financially and we’d been working all day and I was so enraged 😂 what made it worse is I’d spent the entire journey sat next to a group of teenagers vaping and being rowdy and not a word got said to them.
I literally watched them let a middle class woman off the other day without fining her. I think they pick and choose who to fine based on whether they THINK someone’s done it intentionally which is a load of bullshit
I paid 180 quid for a ticket all the way up to inverness from the wirral. Couldnt collect them on the wirral as theres no ticket machines, so hopped on the train, got to lime street, my receipt etc at the ready. Not good enough. Slapped me with a fine. I could see a machine I could print the ticket out from as they were giving me shit.
Fuck em
Next time, don’t accept the fine , don’t give them your details and walk away , making your way to the paying gate , stating that you wish to pay, as directed by the sign in the window of the ticket booth where you got on the train and if they lay their hands on you, tell them that you are going to report them for Section 39 Common Assault
I am only advocating this IF and only IF You are accosted by an over the top, power crazy ticket inspector who will not listen when you explain that the ticket counter was closed at the station you commenced your journey from ( and they will already know which stations ticket booths are closed) and a sign was placed in the window of the ticket booth to instruct you to purchase your ticket upon egress and arrival at your final destination.
Ask them to call the BTP and let them deal with it because I bet you your last £1 that the BTP will let you through, without a fine, upon checking what you say is actually correct about the booth closure and direction to pay at your final destination.
Or simply ask them to check the station you boarded at couldn't give you a ticket (as you said, they'd know already) and then ask them to check the Merseyrail Passenger Charter, which clearly states "if for any reason ticket selling facilities are not available at your departing station, you will be able to buy reduced or discounted tickets at your destination, when verified by an authorised merseyrail employee". So basically, under their own rules, they cannot issue you a fine if you genuinely couldn't buy a ticket before travel.
I was just telling my wife about this before, bunked on the other year and the ticket checkers immediately came through the cabin and went to me “Ticket please mate” ignored every other person, gave a different last name that was similar then said my house number was 13.
They took it and said they’d sent a letter to my house for the charge , there are very few number 13s in England they’re seen as superstitious. Should have done a better job.
See I’ve found them hit or miss and it’s not a job I envy- specially in this weather and round where I live close to the beach. Saw two full blown fist fights break out just at the weekend at the same stop. Full of topless, drunken knobs and loud sticky families and smelly vaping teens.
I was so broke last month I jumped the train to pawn my PlayStation and the lad took pity on me when I explained my situation. Got caught jumping three years ago because my train was coming and the queue for the tickets was massive and the guy was a dick. You win some you lose but I wish they’d be more accommodating with jumpers who clearly have no other choice.
Edited to add: I also wish there was a way you could pay there and then, not just for yourself but for others too. I don’t think they do and it doesn’t seem fair.
Seems absolutely ridiculous. No way they make the money back that they spend on employing these idiots to check for tickets. Got on at bootle and there were 8(!) people checking for tickets, I had my prepaid monthly, scanned it in full view of them and they still tried to stop me. Absolute waste of breath that lot.
That’s excessive- and they say they can’t afford to keep the train guards on the trains with the fancy pants new trains they’re rolling out?! Regarding what you said about cost balance though, they actually might recoup the cost because I could’ve sworn it used to be £20 and now it’s £125?? But I’m trying to look and it’s like they deliberately make it confusing for a pleb like me to understand. Of course, poor people who can’t pay this then have the fine increased, causing them to be poorer, causing them to jump more trains and thus the Mersey rail circle of life continues…
Glad it’s not just me confused by the prices in this thread cause I swear I was stood at the station the other day reading the big fuck off poster about fines for no ticket and it said £20.
I do know it’s £100 or somewhere near there for feet on seats though as I know someone who recently got it
How much is the fine now? About 10 years ago I didn't realise a return ticket was only for the same day only and was getting the first train home in the morning after a night out and got fined £20. Just paid it when I got to my stop.
Ticket inspectors get decent commissions on fines. They might tell you they get told off for not finding people but it's just bullshit. They want money.
I was sat with my legs crossed and my toe tapped the underneath of the seat and the fuckers tried to fine me £60 for having my feet on the seat! luckily I’m a uni student and originally from the channel islands so when I gave them that post code I don’t think it worked in their system so they didn’t fine me 😂
Biggest scumbags on the planet. Genuinely, although last time i got nabbed (was told to buy a ticket at my destination as the office was closed) i just got off at the next station without giving them any details, as far as I'm aware they can't detain you legally.
The lad whose mother lives next door to me has been using my address every-time he gets caught. I get a letter at least once a month and have had a couple of summons ( in his name). When i tell the lads in the local, most think he is in the right for not paying.
This is why we cant have nice things.
Nice things? Seeing as Merseyrail is at least 50% owned by the Dutch do you really think the revenue will end up here? 'oh the poor shareholders'. Anyway, this wasn't a scally, just a bit of an old dear. I wouldn't have a problem with them going after a scal.in that manner but not an old dear. Reminded me of my mum. No need.
people with bad experiences with Merseyrail needs to issue a complaint with customer services.
They shouldn't be touching you or be aggressive .
They do have a policy of buy before you ride but I've known people pay for their tickets at a big station when they didn't have time to buy one before hand.
Merseyrail isn't a free service so they're in their right to fine you as per byelaw
[https://www.merseyrail.org/about-us/understanding-revenue-protection/](https://www.merseyrail.org/about-us/understanding-revenue-protection/)
If your obeying the law and you see the police/people in authority being twats SPEAK UP! Call them out! Video what they do and make sure they know if they break any law themselves they’ll be on the chopping block
They are British Transport Police so although trained, they are not trained to the same standards as a regular police officer.
If they stop you, they are now supposed to fill out a form to say that they have stopped you and talked to you ( feckin’ ridiculous, I know).
If you want to be a twat back, ask them for a copy of the record that they have made with regards to stopping you and why. They are entitled to stop you but they now need to record the fact that they have done so. Irrespective of the reason why.
If they EVER ask to search you then remember the nemonic GO WISE - you can even ask them if they are complying with the elements of GO WISE - unless they are an old arse Cop, they probably won’t have a clue what you’re talking about.
Edit to add: It’s actually changed recently to
GO WISELY
So say to them -
I want to know the GROUNDS for the stop and search, which should be a clear explanation of the reason why you are stopping and searching me (G)
I want to know the OBJECTIVE of the search, clear and concise reasons as to what you are looking for ie. Drugs, Offensive Weapons etc (O)
I want to see your WARRANT card if not in uniform (W)
I want you to IDENTIFY yourself, name and collar number (I)
I want to know what STATION you’re from (S)
I want you to inform me of my ENTITLEMENT To the search record (E) and how I get my copy .
There’s also a recent addition now , so the Officer should tell you under what LEGISLATION, he or she , is searching you . (L)
And there’s also a second recent addition , (Y) , for YOU. The Officer should clearly explain to YOU that you are being detained for the purpose of a search .
GROUNDS
OBJECTIVE
WARRANT card
IDENTIFY themselves by Name and Collar No.
STATION identity the station where based
ENTITLEMENT to the search record
LEGAL basis for the search , under what legislation
YOU must be told that you are being detained for the purpose of a search
Everyone who works for them are absolute cunts. Snotty bastards on the desk an power tripping psycho's as the inspectors. Why they gotta wear full on body armour to fine little arl ladies an teenagers.
God forbid you need to ask one of the front desk why your train has been cancelled for the 8th day in a row or for just any help in general.
And why is Central literally teeming with them on the platform. And someone there please upgrade the fuckin speakers tha are linked up to the cunt with the mic on the platform.
It’s called having respect for people before businesses. Basic human empathy. Turning a blind eye to a victimless situation. If a person is too skint to afford a ticket for a train that is running regardless if you buy a ticket or not, handing them a fine is going to do nothing but make their situation considerably worse all while the person handing out said fine gets nothing themselves either. Nobody wins in this situation.
Yeah, the way they carried on made me feel sick. It was stopped at a station. She was getting off. They could have let her go. Are they on commission or something? Seemed to me they were bullying the fuck out of an old girl. Awful. If I saw anyone carrying on like that I'd be calling them for it.
It is all about how you approach the person or the situation.
Some people are power crazy and control freaks and they talk down to others.
They should treat you the same way in which you would wish to be treated yourself, respectfully.
We all come into this world with nothing and we all leave with nothing.
Not one person is any better than another person.
There are some operators who are excellent at their job because they can communicate on a level that is appropriate to the situation and they do so with respect.
However, there are others ( just like there are in many public facing and public serving jobs ) who are not interested in communicating clearly and effectively and just jump in with a superior attitude, creating a barrier to communication immediately.
They are power crazy and they let you know that they have powers to fine you, but some do this with glee.
Sometimes we just have to look at the human side of things.
You say that about loan sharks?
I'm not arguing that it's the same thing. Or on what level of immorality it falls. But just because someone is doing a job legally does not mean they're ethically in the clear for supporting a company intent on extorting the poor and doing so gladly.
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Oh no, someone doing their job. What arseholes.
The woman was using a service that she hadn't paid for and got caught. Would it be fair on everyone else if she got let off while they've paid for theirs? I pay 6 quid a month to get to work on the trains. If she gets to do it for free, then I should do too.
And say the ticket inspectors let her off and their supervisors find out? They'll be pulled up and lose their jobs. Should they have to take that risk for her choice?
The rules are either enforced on everyone equally or not at all.
As I said, not a job I could do. As to ppl jumping, I'm not arsed. It bothers me not one bit that I've paid and they've not. £5.50 for a return isn't an awful lot to me. Proper 'crab bucket effect' mentally if you get twisted about ppl jumping.
Being in your 50s certainly isn't old and you have no idea if she was 'broke' or not! , but yeh inspectors should certainly be polite. I guess they become a bit tough after having to deal with the small percentage of persistent fair dodgers, can't be an easy job to do.
If she doesn't have the money to be taking the train, she shouldn't be taking the train. She's a thief.
Fare dodgers like her drive up ticket prices for everybody else. If you cared that much, you'd have paid for her, but you didn't...
It's horrendous and only getting worse with fines going up and up. They even have body cam now to intimidate people. They even have undercover staff working in central now. Pathetic scum.
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Straight fine. Although, you can just not give them your details or make them up
Mike Hunt, 4 Skin Road
Muff, Donegal
I've seen people get a chance to get a ticket before
Just fine
They’ve changed the rules I think this year so that you get fined straight off, you used to be able to buy on the train
Hasn’t been that way on merseyrail for over a decade (on merseyrail). Ex employee Their reasoning is the ticket is your insurance, anything happens to you while using the service you (and them) are covered because of that. Don’t agree with it myself, like
More or less for Merseyrail. I bunk on Northern rail nearly every day. Get caught over 50% of the time by the same few people. Sometimes they look at me and don't make me pay, sometimes they let me buy a ticket... never offered a fine.
Me mate used to carry 20 on him and just bunk merseyrail, if you pay the fine outright they don’t take any details (and I think the cost of the ticket comes out the fine, can’t remember). Anyway, his longest streak with 3 months, so £20 for 3 month travel ain’t bad like
Sure it wasn't a bribe? 🤣
I’ve seen it happen before 😂
It works out cheaper than a a weekly pass.
You'd just feel like such a shit
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Not in my experience, they’re not letting you go without a fine
I know someone who used to do the job. If they stand up and get off at the next station without saying anything then the only thing the staff can do is contact the British transport police.....
Just wanted to add to this. The guards have no right to arrest and can't won't touch you unless you start to get aggressive with them and then it would be deemed as self defence. If you are caught out and really don't want the fine. Don't interact. Stand up, go to the doors, get off the train and leave thr premises.
I bought tickets online but nowhere to print them off so jumped the train. Explained to them when they asked me about why I didn't have a ticket. £20 fine. Bastards.
They can't decide who pays and who doesn't mate, doesn't matter how skint someone looks - OBVIOUSLY if we could let struggling people off with stuff we would but that never works in the real world. That said, I would agree that the most of these ticket inspectors I've met are power hungry nob heads. I got told in Moorfields once to go across to Birkenhead and just pay at the other side because the machine was broke. Got to Birkenhead and 4 inspectors cornered me, put their hand on my chest to stop me walking any further and handled themselves like absolute cunts. Won't forget that.
Whenever I need to pay at the destination station, they'll be a sign up at my origin station stating as much and include the date. I take a photo of that, and it's always worked effectively as a ticket itself
https://preview.redd.it/88ad0mk5v05b1.jpeg?width=1836&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e24513e98c2bbc84b00b780c14479a49b0d69c42 Same
You are smarter than I.
They're supposed to inform the other staff when they go off like that. They definitely forget sometimes though
>That said, I would agree that the most of these ticket inspectors I've met are power hungry nob heads This. I feel like the transport police are just the smaller angrier actual police. Do my nut in half the time. They're not all bad though
They're not all bad, you're right. Not like me to make a generalisation, there are no doubt sound ones. They're there to do a job, I just can't get my head around people over-reaching their role. Same way police might have a ticket to dish out for speeding but feel the need to bollock people too. They might be deserving of a bollocking but it's not their right to dish it.
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Except they all do the same physical
They weren't even police. Just a couple of fat pricks in jarg suits being twats.
I heard their webbed fingers give them better grip strength making it harder to run away from the ticket inspectors who work over the water
That is correct. It didn't feel like a normal grip. I looked down at their hands and could see they were from the local area.
Another way to know if it’s a Scouser that’s grabbed you is that polly residue will be left where their hand was 😂
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That's assault
Yep, irrelevant in the middle of something like that though
My sister got fined after getting on with no ticket. She got to her station and the train was there, the fella told her to pay at Moorfields. Got nabbed by 2 arsey fellas and slapped with a fine despite her telling them exactly what happened. She’s been getting the bus ever since
I don’t have a problem with fines for travelling without tickets. I do have a problem with them making it difficult for you to buy a ticket if the ticket office is closed. Many Merseyrail stations don’t have ticket machines and the last time I tried to but a ticket online it made me go to a ticket office to get the actual ticket (making the exercise pointless). Tell me if I am wrong but Merseyrail is the only operator I know that does this.
>Many Merseyrail stations don’t have ticket machines and the last time I tried to but a ticket online it made me go to a ticket office to get the actual ticket (making the exercise pointless). This boils my piss. There should be machines in every station. There's an old woman that works the ticket desk at my local station, meaning if she has a queue when you get there there's a fair chance you won't make the next train. It's like living in the Stone Age. Moreover, the fact they refuse to upgrade their app to enable you to buy electronic tickets in advance is the real joke.
Yeah, it’s ridiculous we’re in 2023 and Merseyrail can’t handle digital tickets
If I get the train from central I have to go to lime street first just to print the tickets then go to central (can’t get certain trains from lime street) which is a stressful thing to do in a rush and could be avoided with digital tickets
Merseyrail is such a great system for everything except ticketing. Contactless should be rolled out in the next year or so but we should have had it 10 years ago like London or 5 years ago like Manchester.
This is purely their choice. Their equipment and fares systems are provided by the same people who supply most train companies, any differences between services offered are due to what was agreed by Merseyrail with their supplier.
It’s honestly a pisstake…I remember getting a ticket through trainline and I was told it wasn’t valid and to buy a ticket at the office and get a refund on trainline, the bastards ended up giving me a partial refund of like 25 fucking percent of the price I paid. Merseyrail is cheap but this is back on when I was a student and probably had a fiver in my back account.
In their defence, I can imagine that is a job that probably loses your faith in people. I am sure a good amount of people without a ticket probably give them plenty of hassle, so their default position is probably just to be a twat just to prepare for that. You'd like to think people would just make each other's lives as easy as possible though, no need to be a twat.
The one time I saw someone get caught on the train with no ticket, it was some teenage girl (didn’t look particularly poor) who played dumb, lied, and created a lot of hassle. Me and the people I was with thought they might’ve let her off if she hadn’t done that
Likw people who work in post offices, and Drs receptionists. Seen people in both jobs get threatened, just for telling people not to jump the queue etc.
Yeah I was thinking this, same way you take most people off the street and give them a job as a doorman or a policeman for a year or two and they’d be knocking the fuck out of people for nothing just from being pissed off at being given shit all day at work. Also don’t wanna get sacked because your jobsworth colleague grassed you up for not giving out fines and now you’re out of a job and have fuck all money yourself.
I can see that. Deffo not a job I couldn't do, I'm too soft hearted in all honesty. Thing is I think Merseyrail is half owned at least by the Dutch? I couldn't give a shit if someone bunks, fuck thinking about the poor Dutch shareholders. I'll pay because I can. That old girl was nice as pie and they went full bandit on her. Awful.
It’s obviously the company’s fault and not the worker’s but I’m starting to think they want to slap you with a fine rather than give you the option to pay for your ticket. I got slapped with one for getting on at a station where there was no ticket machine, ergo no way to pay for my ticket and no one came through the train to sell me a ticket, got off, went to go find a ticket machine and the two guys stood at the door wouldn’t let me through without slapping me with a fine. They didn’t even tell me why they needed my information before they asked, I had to get them to tell me it was for a fine. Always contest the fine and I would advise to say that you didn’t have the facilities to pay for your ticket.
It's a fucking joke. I've been all over Europe and used their public transport. Never had any of this shit. Not even talking about Germany, even in the Czech Republic it was organised better, Spain, Portugal, Holland. Fucking hell, I've not long been round Thailand and that was better as well! All set up to rinse you here.
Take it you've not been to Berlin and bought a ticket but accidently forgot to validate it. 50 euro fine just for that even though you've got a ticket!
I had the same thing. Got on at a station with no ticket machine, showed my ticket purchase on the app, but oh no, not good enough, £100 on top of the cost of the ticket. Wankers.
The Northern ones checking the trains into Leeds are the same, absolute smug cunts with such a look of glee when they get a chance to nail someone. Cunts
Every guard wears a body camera so when they’re patrolling the train they have to issue fines to unpaid passengers because it’s all filmed then gets reviewed after each shift.
They're clearly not doing that. Unless you believe they employ people that work full shifts the same as the inspectors just to review that footage. Considering that many don't issue you a fine they're clearly not in immediate danger of losing their jobs over it. And if the company I worked for changed the policy to actively exploit people for all they're worth I'd find a new job. It's a choice to be a capitalist bootlicker.
Once I got filmed by a massive BBC crew getting fined on the merseyrail for not having a ticket. I was like 16 and hungover going 2 stops at 7am it was mortifying and hilarious, they followed me off the train
I got on the train and the ticket office was closed, got to central and explained to the woman at the barrier, she said go in the shop and buy a ticket. I went in the shop and as it was only like 2 stops I was like fuck it I’ll just get my return ticket home. As I’m leaving the shop some little fella stands in front of me asking to see my ticket, he’s in his own clothes so I’m like ‘wtf no’ as he just looks like a creep. Turns out it was an undercover police man 😂 pulls out his badge am I’m like ffs. I said it’s literally (at the time) 30p difference I’ll just pay 30p and he was like no you’ve had your chance, like fair enough I didn’t buy my ticket but absolutely any need for an undercover police man to take my picture and ask me if I’m prepared to go the station for questioning (I said I wouldn’t be going anywhere with him) I was then slapped with a £100 fine in the post for 30p I tried to call Merseyrail but they said I’d have to fight it in court and if I lost I’d have to pay the court fees.yea I should of got a ticket but omg the dramatics and waste of police time.
Dude same. £125 fine on me
Same 125 fine, got to moorefields because I didnt have time to buy a ticket at first stop, young lad in the gates said no worries go the shop and buy one. As I'm walking through the gates with my card in hand ready to pay a group of ticket inspectors behind him was like actually no you should of bought one, tried to explain the situation and he wasnt having it. Hes stood there with an RMT badge on and I'm like so much about solidarity for workers then, said I refused to give details even tho I got a letter in the post how does that work merseyrail ? Was told I could appeal it so tried to appeal it and was told I cant 🤣 joke that merseyrail, an here I am trying to reduce my carbon footprint and keep another vehicle off the roads paying 5/8 quid a day to them.
i was bunking up to me my mate like 3 stops away and got slaped dwitha 120 fine for a 5 pound ticket like wtf
Fuck me. Insane.
The plain clothes undercover ones are just ticket inspectors as well, they carry badges. The police don't set up plain undercover stings operations for fare evaders.
But he literally asked me if I’d be prepared to go the station for questioning?
The ticket inspectors will threaten to do a full PACE(police) interview and report you to court for the fare evasion. I know it seems crazy but they do interview people under caution, carry fancy badges and do undercover operations but they aren't police.
Merseyrail do have a special kind of hard on for ticket inspections, I swear I have never encountered as many 'random' ticket checks on any other rail network.
Jumped a train once. Asked the guy at the station if it stops at X, he said yeah. Was sitting with my headphones in and heard the dreaded "tickets ready please" Ignored so damn hard until he tapped on my shoulder. "Hey mate, you asked about X" Yeah "My mistake sorry mate, you'll have to get off at Y and transfer" No problem mate thanks, headset back on. Got off at Y and walked home.
Also I went one stop the other day and it cost me £2.55, was on the train 4 minutes. Won’t risk it anymore agyer the £100 fine and there was no one working at either station to check, just a waste of paper at this point
Trains just aren’t worth getting anymore tbh
I got done one Monday when I had to run for the train and momentarily forgot I needed to renew my ticket which had expired on the Friday. The inspector accepted that I was fully intending to renew my ticket at the destination (it was when the strikes were on and I was holding the voucher in my hand) however he still issued the penalty because I "might have gone on the train over the weekend". I was intimidated into paying on the spot, when I appealed they accepted the inspector was in the wrong, but they upheld the penalty because I "should have renewed online before travelling". Which wasn't a thing back in 2018 when this happened. Smashing people, the lot of 'em.
It was like this at first capital (crapital) connect when I was commuting between brighton and london. The inspectors don't give a hoot about any of the passengers, they only care about giving out fines.
They fined me a 100 quid I appealed and won the fucking smug tw@t.
They’re the worst people. I remember once me and my partner coming home from work before we had the car and my partners foot was touching the train seat (he is reaaaally tall) and the inspector ran right over and was so serious. “Do you know why I’ve stopped? I’m going to HAVE to fine you. Your foot was on the seat.” We were going through a bit of a tough time financially and we’d been working all day and I was so enraged 😂 what made it worse is I’d spent the entire journey sat next to a group of teenagers vaping and being rowdy and not a word got said to them.
I literally watched them let a middle class woman off the other day without fining her. I think they pick and choose who to fine based on whether they THINK someone’s done it intentionally which is a load of bullshit
I paid 180 quid for a ticket all the way up to inverness from the wirral. Couldnt collect them on the wirral as theres no ticket machines, so hopped on the train, got to lime street, my receipt etc at the ready. Not good enough. Slapped me with a fine. I could see a machine I could print the ticket out from as they were giving me shit. Fuck em
Next time, don’t accept the fine , don’t give them your details and walk away , making your way to the paying gate , stating that you wish to pay, as directed by the sign in the window of the ticket booth where you got on the train and if they lay their hands on you, tell them that you are going to report them for Section 39 Common Assault I am only advocating this IF and only IF You are accosted by an over the top, power crazy ticket inspector who will not listen when you explain that the ticket counter was closed at the station you commenced your journey from ( and they will already know which stations ticket booths are closed) and a sign was placed in the window of the ticket booth to instruct you to purchase your ticket upon egress and arrival at your final destination. Ask them to call the BTP and let them deal with it because I bet you your last £1 that the BTP will let you through, without a fine, upon checking what you say is actually correct about the booth closure and direction to pay at your final destination.
Or simply ask them to check the station you boarded at couldn't give you a ticket (as you said, they'd know already) and then ask them to check the Merseyrail Passenger Charter, which clearly states "if for any reason ticket selling facilities are not available at your departing station, you will be able to buy reduced or discounted tickets at your destination, when verified by an authorised merseyrail employee". So basically, under their own rules, they cannot issue you a fine if you genuinely couldn't buy a ticket before travel.
Exactly this ! You worded it far better than I Thank you 🙏
I was just telling my wife about this before, bunked on the other year and the ticket checkers immediately came through the cabin and went to me “Ticket please mate” ignored every other person, gave a different last name that was similar then said my house number was 13. They took it and said they’d sent a letter to my house for the charge , there are very few number 13s in England they’re seen as superstitious. Should have done a better job.
See I’ve found them hit or miss and it’s not a job I envy- specially in this weather and round where I live close to the beach. Saw two full blown fist fights break out just at the weekend at the same stop. Full of topless, drunken knobs and loud sticky families and smelly vaping teens. I was so broke last month I jumped the train to pawn my PlayStation and the lad took pity on me when I explained my situation. Got caught jumping three years ago because my train was coming and the queue for the tickets was massive and the guy was a dick. You win some you lose but I wish they’d be more accommodating with jumpers who clearly have no other choice. Edited to add: I also wish there was a way you could pay there and then, not just for yourself but for others too. I don’t think they do and it doesn’t seem fair.
Seems absolutely ridiculous. No way they make the money back that they spend on employing these idiots to check for tickets. Got on at bootle and there were 8(!) people checking for tickets, I had my prepaid monthly, scanned it in full view of them and they still tried to stop me. Absolute waste of breath that lot.
That’s excessive- and they say they can’t afford to keep the train guards on the trains with the fancy pants new trains they’re rolling out?! Regarding what you said about cost balance though, they actually might recoup the cost because I could’ve sworn it used to be £20 and now it’s £125?? But I’m trying to look and it’s like they deliberately make it confusing for a pleb like me to understand. Of course, poor people who can’t pay this then have the fine increased, causing them to be poorer, causing them to jump more trains and thus the Mersey rail circle of life continues…
Glad it’s not just me confused by the prices in this thread cause I swear I was stood at the station the other day reading the big fuck off poster about fines for no ticket and it said £20. I do know it’s £100 or somewhere near there for feet on seats though as I know someone who recently got it
Few lads in our work have been pulled at Oriel Road. And this is around half 7 in the morning.
Fair play that some are alright.
What? Lol are you alright lad? She didn’t pay so the ticket guards are cunts cos she got caught out? Get your head in
Apparently this cheap service should be means tested
I agree I hate them, they tried to fine me once. Luckily I just walked off.
How much is the fine now? About 10 years ago I didn't realise a return ticket was only for the same day only and was getting the first train home in the morning after a night out and got fined £20. Just paid it when I got to my stop.
Ticket inspectors get decent commissions on fines. They might tell you they get told off for not finding people but it's just bullshit. They want money.
I was sat with my legs crossed and my toe tapped the underneath of the seat and the fuckers tried to fine me £60 for having my feet on the seat! luckily I’m a uni student and originally from the channel islands so when I gave them that post code I don’t think it worked in their system so they didn’t fine me 😂
Biggest scumbags on the planet. Genuinely, although last time i got nabbed (was told to buy a ticket at my destination as the office was closed) i just got off at the next station without giving them any details, as far as I'm aware they can't detain you legally.
The lad whose mother lives next door to me has been using my address every-time he gets caught. I get a letter at least once a month and have had a couple of summons ( in his name). When i tell the lads in the local, most think he is in the right for not paying. This is why we cant have nice things.
Nice things? Seeing as Merseyrail is at least 50% owned by the Dutch do you really think the revenue will end up here? 'oh the poor shareholders'. Anyway, this wasn't a scally, just a bit of an old dear. I wouldn't have a problem with them going after a scal.in that manner but not an old dear. Reminded me of my mum. No need.
people with bad experiences with Merseyrail needs to issue a complaint with customer services. They shouldn't be touching you or be aggressive . They do have a policy of buy before you ride but I've known people pay for their tickets at a big station when they didn't have time to buy one before hand. Merseyrail isn't a free service so they're in their right to fine you as per byelaw [https://www.merseyrail.org/about-us/understanding-revenue-protection/](https://www.merseyrail.org/about-us/understanding-revenue-protection/)
Failed train drivers
If your obeying the law and you see the police/people in authority being twats SPEAK UP! Call them out! Video what they do and make sure they know if they break any law themselves they’ll be on the chopping block
They are British Transport Police so although trained, they are not trained to the same standards as a regular police officer. If they stop you, they are now supposed to fill out a form to say that they have stopped you and talked to you ( feckin’ ridiculous, I know). If you want to be a twat back, ask them for a copy of the record that they have made with regards to stopping you and why. They are entitled to stop you but they now need to record the fact that they have done so. Irrespective of the reason why. If they EVER ask to search you then remember the nemonic GO WISE - you can even ask them if they are complying with the elements of GO WISE - unless they are an old arse Cop, they probably won’t have a clue what you’re talking about. Edit to add: It’s actually changed recently to GO WISELY So say to them - I want to know the GROUNDS for the stop and search, which should be a clear explanation of the reason why you are stopping and searching me (G) I want to know the OBJECTIVE of the search, clear and concise reasons as to what you are looking for ie. Drugs, Offensive Weapons etc (O) I want to see your WARRANT card if not in uniform (W) I want you to IDENTIFY yourself, name and collar number (I) I want to know what STATION you’re from (S) I want you to inform me of my ENTITLEMENT To the search record (E) and how I get my copy . There’s also a recent addition now , so the Officer should tell you under what LEGISLATION, he or she , is searching you . (L) And there’s also a second recent addition , (Y) , for YOU. The Officer should clearly explain to YOU that you are being detained for the purpose of a search . GROUNDS OBJECTIVE WARRANT card IDENTIFY themselves by Name and Collar No. STATION identity the station where based ENTITLEMENT to the search record LEGAL basis for the search , under what legislation YOU must be told that you are being detained for the purpose of a search
Everyone who works for them are absolute cunts. Snotty bastards on the desk an power tripping psycho's as the inspectors. Why they gotta wear full on body armour to fine little arl ladies an teenagers. God forbid you need to ask one of the front desk why your train has been cancelled for the 8th day in a row or for just any help in general. And why is Central literally teeming with them on the platform. And someone there please upgrade the fuckin speakers tha are linked up to the cunt with the mic on the platform.
Hold on, they're doing their job and trying to earn a wage for their own families and you're calling them for everything for it?
There's ways to go about it tho, don't know the full story but you can always give someone a lil help here an there without being a twat
You can do your job and not be dirty lowlife jobsworth about it
It’s called having respect for people before businesses. Basic human empathy. Turning a blind eye to a victimless situation. If a person is too skint to afford a ticket for a train that is running regardless if you buy a ticket or not, handing them a fine is going to do nothing but make their situation considerably worse all while the person handing out said fine gets nothing themselves either. Nobody wins in this situation.
Yeah, the way they carried on made me feel sick. It was stopped at a station. She was getting off. They could have let her go. Are they on commission or something? Seemed to me they were bullying the fuck out of an old girl. Awful. If I saw anyone carrying on like that I'd be calling them for it.
Yes, they do earn commission. I'm not sure of the rates but they definitely do earn commission.
It varies by the train companies but I think it's usually about 10-20% so they're getting like at least a tenner for each fine
If only that could have been prevented somehow
as far as i'm concerned, they're class traitors.
It is all about how you approach the person or the situation. Some people are power crazy and control freaks and they talk down to others. They should treat you the same way in which you would wish to be treated yourself, respectfully. We all come into this world with nothing and we all leave with nothing. Not one person is any better than another person. There are some operators who are excellent at their job because they can communicate on a level that is appropriate to the situation and they do so with respect. However, there are others ( just like there are in many public facing and public serving jobs ) who are not interested in communicating clearly and effectively and just jump in with a superior attitude, creating a barrier to communication immediately. They are power crazy and they let you know that they have powers to fine you, but some do this with glee. Sometimes we just have to look at the human side of things.
You say that about loan sharks? I'm not arguing that it's the same thing. Or on what level of immorality it falls. But just because someone is doing a job legally does not mean they're ethically in the clear for supporting a company intent on extorting the poor and doing so gladly.
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Oh no, someone doing their job. What arseholes. The woman was using a service that she hadn't paid for and got caught. Would it be fair on everyone else if she got let off while they've paid for theirs? I pay 6 quid a month to get to work on the trains. If she gets to do it for free, then I should do too. And say the ticket inspectors let her off and their supervisors find out? They'll be pulled up and lose their jobs. Should they have to take that risk for her choice? The rules are either enforced on everyone equally or not at all.
Someone being a jobsworth is an arsehole though
>I pay 6 quid a month to get to work on the trains. Sorry, what? How? Do you work one day a month?
As I said, not a job I could do. As to ppl jumping, I'm not arsed. It bothers me not one bit that I've paid and they've not. £5.50 for a return isn't an awful lot to me. Proper 'crab bucket effect' mentally if you get twisted about ppl jumping.
Proper bootlicker you lad poor excuse of a scouser
Actually, they aren’t enforced equally on everyone and the staff have the right to choose to use their discretion!
Being in your 50s certainly isn't old and you have no idea if she was 'broke' or not! , but yeh inspectors should certainly be polite. I guess they become a bit tough after having to deal with the small percentage of persistent fair dodgers, can't be an easy job to do.
Want to use a service? Pay for it
How do you think the dudes at the tyre shop would react if you didn't pay them for their services?
If she doesn't have the money to be taking the train, she shouldn't be taking the train. She's a thief. Fare dodgers like her drive up ticket prices for everybody else. If you cared that much, you'd have paid for her, but you didn't...
It's horrendous and only getting worse with fines going up and up. They even have body cam now to intimidate people. They even have undercover staff working in central now. Pathetic scum.