
SMBJones
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Everything posted by SMBJones
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legalalien Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi Barry, > > Just wanted to say how helpful one of your staff > at Peckham Rye was last week when my > desperate-to-go-to-the-loo 4 year old son and I > got off the train and asked whether there was a > toilet we could use urgently! She walked us to > the ones on the opposite platforms quick smart and > without any rolling of eyes / I really don't want > to do this attitude. which was nice. > > Didn't get her name but she had blonde hair in a > ponytail and was quite pretty! Hi Thank you for this, really appreciate the time posting the nice comments about my staff. I know who she is and I will send a letter to her praising her customer service Thanks again Barry
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ruffers Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Morning Barry. > Not sure if you're aware but the lights were out > at East Dulwich station last night by the steps. > all a bit crowded and dark. Hi Just picked this up so was not aware if they are okay tonight. I have faulted with our facilities department Regards Barry
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Hi again It was that quick, I have spoken with the project manager and he has instructed "Cubic" to re install the software and faciliate a complete system check This will be done next week, hopefully this will sort the problem, fingers crossed! Barry SMBJones Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi Strawbs > > It appears that the issue is still there, I am > away for a few days and I will be returning next > week. What I shall do in the meantime is ask the > project manager to meet with me during the peak so > we can look at this for ourselves, I shall also > request the attendance of "Cubic" who maintain > these gates for us > > Bear with me, I am on the case > > Barry > > > Strawbs Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Hi Barry > > > > Just want to point out that the oyster readers > at > > peckham rye still are not right.. It causes > large > > queues of frustrated, angry, pushy commuters > > trying to get through and to be honest I just > dont > > understand what the problem is.. I go through > a > > lot of stations and hand on heart never have a > > problem with the oyster being read but go > through > > PR and you get a red light 3 or 4 times, get > > called over the guy manning the readers who is > > quite obviously just as p*ssed off as we are > > having to deal with it and then he buzzes you > > through which whilst in the immediate terms is > > helpful as you dont miss your train long term > it > > isnt.. Anyway we can get someone to look at the > > readers? > > > > thanks
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Hi Strawbs It appears that the issue is still there, I am away for a few days and I will be returning next week. What I shall do in the meantime is ask the project manager to meet with me during the peak so we can look at this for ourselves, I shall also request the attendance of "Cubic" who maintain these gates for us Bear with me, I am on the case Barry Strawbs Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi Barry > > Just want to point out that the oyster readers at > peckham rye still are not right.. It causes large > queues of frustrated, angry, pushy commuters > trying to get through and to be honest I just dont > understand what the problem is.. I go through a > lot of stations and hand on heart never have a > problem with the oyster being read but go through > PR and you get a red light 3 or 4 times, get > called over the guy manning the readers who is > quite obviously just as p*ssed off as we are > having to deal with it and then he buzzes you > through which whilst in the immediate terms is > helpful as you dont miss your train long term it > isnt.. Anyway we can get someone to look at the > readers? > > thanks
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Hi Loz As you say I am only a Station Manager (Messenger) I wish I could comment further regarding your point about fares Sorry Barry Loz Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I assume, Barry, that the standard Christmas/New > Year London transport rip off will still apply?? > i.e. A Saturday service is run, but normal weekday > peak fares apply?? > > I know you're just the messenger, but it annoys me > every year!!
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Hi I am very sorry for the Grr moments being experienced, I have engineers on way to have a good look at this TVM, I have also just been informed that it may be a software issue As for an extra TVM, I very much doubt it although as I have said before I will review this once Pay As You Go goes live in January 2010 Barry sophiesofa Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi Barry, once again thanks for being wonderful. > My post is very similar to mammab's but since you > said you might get the machine checked I thought I > should mention my partners grr moment with the ED > machine. Last night he missed a train while the > machine kept freezing and seeing as it wasn't > 'fully' out of order he decided the fare to pay > boothe at London Bridge wouldn't believe and the > permit machine again wasn't working so once again > he ended up buying a travel card from the shop > opposite instead of a much cheaper return to LB. > So... please give the machine a check up although > I think an additional machine is also called for > and would still be used, although obviously not as > much when oyster is launched. Thank you
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Hi I am very disappointed to hear about the rubbish behind the fences, I had the areas cut back to help I am on this now Maybe at the next large event that the forum orgnises I will dress up as the "Fat Controller" just to please you Barry Moos Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Dear Barry > > Hope you enjoy your 2-week holiday from all our > complaining! Thank you for your continued > responsiveness, although I have still not got over > my disappointment re: your lack of resemblence to > the Fat Controller.. > > Anyway. Could you please send out your cleaning > teams again, as the spaces behind the fences at ED > station are starting to fill up with cans and > packets again. > > Thanks very much! > Moos
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Hi, thought I would get this in quick, please find the Xmas/New Year Services Christmas Eve ? Thursday 24 December A normal service, with an early service shutdown starting at 20.00, with all services terminated by 22.30. Christmas Day ? Friday 25 December A half-hourly Gatwick Express non-stop road coach service will operate service will operate during the daytime ? No other services will operate. Boxing Day ? Saturday 26 December Services will operate as follows: Gatwick Express ? every 30 minutes, diverted via Herne Hill. These services will call additionally at East Croydon . Victoria to Brighton ? hourly, calling at East Croydon, Redhill, Gatwick Airport, Three Bridges and Haywards Heath. Due to engineering work these services will be diverted via Herne Hill and will be unable to call at Clapham Junction ? no alternative service will be provided for stations between Victoria and Streatham Common. London Bridge to East Croydon via Norbury ? every 30 minutes running non-stop from London Bridge to Streatham Common, then all stations to East Croydon. This provides stations between Streatham Common and Selhurst with a service to a London terminal as they normally receive on Boxing Day where possible. Due to engineering work no service is able to operate to stations between Victoria and Streatham Common - no alternative service will be provided for these stations. London Bridge to East Croydon via Sydenham ? every 30 minutes, calling at all stations. First Capital Connect do not currently plan to run services south of London on Boxing Day. Services have been planned to use a single island platform at Redhill, Gatwick Airport, Three Bridges and Haywards Heath. Due to the volume of train services, this will not be possible at East Croydon, where platforms 1 ? 3 will be in use (platforms 4 ? 6 are closed for engineering work). Sunday 27 December A normal Sunday service will start up from around 04.00. Buses replace trains between Balham and West Croydon via Crystal Palace. Bank Holiday Monday 28 December A Saturday service will operate. Buses replace trains between Balham and West Croydon via Crystal Palace. In addition the fast lines are closed through Clapham Junction, which will lead to a reduced suburban service in operation from London Victoria as all services will be using the slow lines. Main line services are subject to minor retiming. Evening London Victoria to Horsham via Redhill services will run to / from London Bridge. Tuesday 29 to Thursday 31 December A Saturday service will operate. A number of additional peak services will operate to provide additional capacity, in line with previous years. New Year?s Day ? Friday 01 January A Sunday service will operate. Additional services will operate every 20 minutes between London Victoria and East Croydon calling at all stations via Norbury on behalf of TfL between 01.05 and 05.05. Buses replace trains all day between Balham and West Croydon via Crystal Palace. Saturday 02 January onwards A normal level of service will operate, with services amended for planned engineering work as required. See you in two weeks Barry
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400/401, totally lost! :)) Moos Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > 401
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Hi As per my previous posting regarding TVM's I am looking at this issue very closely, however in the meantime I am in the process of getting some extra help at Peckham, on Mondays and Tuesday from next week there will be some revenue staff to assist with ticket purchasing. I have also increased the window coverage at weekends. From April 2010 the station will become a 24 hour operation, this will include gating coverage from first to last service, we are working on these plans now. There is more.., you may have seen I have now refurbed the waiting room on platform 4, I am also looking at the disused toilets on platform 1/2, we still have some decorating to do do around the station and canopies, you may have even noticed the grafitti removal from the roof of the station, which in my eyes looks great even with the scaffolding still errected. I have re positioned some signage to ease congestion on platform 1 and 2 and I am still working on the train stopping points on platform 1 so customers do not have to run half way up the platform. The second round of deep cleans are also scheduled very shortly. There is more investment to come and I am working hard with my team to identify what my customers want. We are getting there, slowly but surely, the difference in the last six months is very noticeable Regards Barry ps Connex sign!!, I was not aware, I will look into this immediately Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Ticket Gates at Peckham Rye > Barry > > Well done on the ticket gates and new info boards > at Peckham Rye station - station is starting to > look really good - and importantly for you I bet > you are getting more people paying and earning > more money (always welcome in a recession!) > > Are there any other plans for improvements at > Peckham Rye? Some bits could do with a good > clean!! > > However, All starting to make the place feel a > little more loved and little more welcoming and > safe. > > Re the gates - is it possible for the staffing > hours of these gates to be altered and made a bit > more random It is now becoming pretty well known > when the gates are usually operational ( I have > worked them out and sure as hell those not paying > have). So is it possible to have them staffed > later in the evening some days, perhaps saturdays > and sundays too..... > > And another ticket machine ........? > > Oh and one final thing why does it still have the > Connex sign outside the station on the main road > under the BR sign .....always wondered why that > was never removed!! > > Cheers
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Hi First of all apologies to your partner, it will be my intention to remove your Grr's very quickly! I am in consultation regarding extra TVM's (Ticket vending machines) for my whole area, there is an issue and have to admit it is very frustrating, however saying that... when we go live with the Oyster in January 2010 I honestly believe the issue of queueing for tickets will diminish. It is very hard for me to gain some investment without first monitoring this situation and the impact on purchasing tickets etc when Oyster is available I have also requested my Ticket Office Manager to go and have a look at the machine in question at East Dulwich, if necessary I will call upon our contractors to give the TVM a once over and maintenance check. Hope this helps Barry mammab Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Dear Barry, > > Firstly, thanks for starting this thread up and > for all of your efforts so far. I havent had the > chance to read through all of the postings, so > apologies if you my points have been repeated > already several times, but I am writing on behalf > of my partner who isnt registered on the forum, > and she had a bit of a rant about her journey to > work yesterday morning, so thought I should pass > them on....her main points of rage were: > > "Not enough ticket machines at East Dulwich, plus > more often than not only accepting cash rather > than cards ? means people miss trains merely by > not being able to get a ticket in time... grrr. > No trains between 7.19 and 7.52... not good to > have this long a wait at rush hour... it only > exacerpates the squeeze on the trains plus the > queues at the ticket machine" > > I would like to reiterate her "grrr" point about > the ticket machine, as I went to get on the ED - > London Bridge train this afternoon at 12.14 - and > the machine was being pretty tempremental to say > the least - with 5 of us queuing trying to decide > what to do, as the permit to travel machine wasnt > working and there was no one in the office - > eventually the machine started to work again, but > would only accept cards and not cash....in the > meantime, the train has come and gone. > > please can you let us know if there are any plans > to have more than one, slightly dodgy, ticket > machine at ED station - also, is there any update > as to when the oyster pay as you go will be > accepted at ED? > > Thanks again for your help in all this.
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IMPORTANT MESSAGE Hi I have just read that the forum will be closing for 2 weeks, in view of this can I ask that if you have any serious issues with my stations whilst this thread is closed then please email comments@southernrailway.com marked for my attention. I must stress this for the two weeks only. I look forward to posting again when its back up and running Many thanks Barry
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Good afternoon Just to let you know that my management team and I will be out and about this week. We will be at the following locations this week and then we will pencil in some more stations for next month, it would be good to meet you and discuss your stations further. Tuesday 1630-1900 East Dulwich Wednesday 0730-0930 Tulse Hill Thursday 0730-0930 Wandsworth Common Friday 0730-0930 West Norwood Can I also apologise to those who have not received reponses from the messages posted, I am still waiting for answers before repsonding. I am also waiting for some funding to continue with your improvements, so bare with me and I will update accordingly. I also have in my possession the Xmas and New Year train services and I am just waiting for the final confirmation along with the engineering works for this period. Kind regards Barry
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Hi Places like London Bridge would be fully aware if you were unable to purchase tickets, so for example Revenue staff would have a pager message stating that a machine was out of order or a ticket office closed. My advice would be to purchase at LB, not sure about Charing X Hope this helps Barry sophiesofa Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Sorry me again Barry. I'm sure most people know, > but I don't. If there is no means of buying a > ticket i.e. no cashier, working machine or permit > machine, what is the official stance? If I was > travelling to charing cross would I have to go to > the no ticket desk at london bridge or could I go > to the no ticket desk at Charing Cross? Thanks in > advance. > > sophiesofa Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > I second what OutOfFocus has asked. My > boyfriend > > had the same issue on sunday at East Dulwich. > > Because we weren't sure if Charing Cross would > say > > we should have queued at London Bridge to get a > > ticket so in the end he went to the shop > accross > > the road and got a travel card that he didn't > > really need. It is annoying when you leave > early > > to make sure you have time to queue for a > ticket > > and then there's no means of getting one and no > > clear instructions on what to do if you can't > buy > > a ticket. Is there definitely no room anywhere > to > > squeeze another ticket machine in? Thanks in > > advance Barry.
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Hi My Duty Managers are now looking into this and we will have something sorted very soon. We are looking at peak directional travel and the gates being moved very shortly to coincide with building works that are due to take place this side of Christmas Barry OutOfFocus Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Barry > With your London Bridge hat on, could you reveiw > the balance of in and out barriers. I was > travelling into London at about 18:30 and had > quite a queue to get out from the barriers near > platfrom 11. But there were a lot of unused > barriers for people coming into the station. I > suspect at that time the rush-hour has reversed - > more people travelling into London rather than > out. > > Do staff have an option of changing the number in > each direction.
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prettyflowers Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > ...and about the paper recycling bins for the free > newspapers...? Hi I am now in the process of dealing with "Metro Newspapers" we are in discussions relating to recycling I will update next week Barry
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ralphation Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Thanks, Barry. Look forward to hearing what you > find out. Hi I am still chasing this, apologies for delay Barrt
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Hi A formal request for an extra Ticket Vending Machine has been submitted to my line manager. The good news is that the stations being handed to LOROL will have their own put in place and I have asked for one of those being removed to be installed at Peckham Kind regards Barry Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > To add to the voices of a considerable number of > others.... The ticket buying options at Peckham > Rye really aren't good enough for a station of its > size, and a little part of me dies every time I > get stuck in a 10+ person queue at the ticket > office and hurtle up the stairs only to hear my > train pull away. Oyster PAYG will be good (nay, > great), but it's not the full answer. > > Barry -- you've done us proud thus far. Our > station is considerably better as a result. But > what I wouldn't give for at least one more ticket > machine..
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Hi Jeremy I appreciate your comments however for the record Revenue Protection/Penalty Fares are beyond my remit and have no control. You can see that I am taking this to a higher source at Southern Kind regards Barry Jeremy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > ralphation Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > They have decided their decision is final and > have > > now added a ?20 "admin fee" to the initial > penalty > > fare and passed it on to a debt collection > agency. > > This is disgusting. It's as bad as - maybe even > worse than - parking fines. > > I hope you are going to stand your ground and > refuse to pay the admin fee, as well as continuing > to contest the original fine.
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Hi I have sent this through to a colleague of mine at HQ, bare with me and I will get a response Kind regards Barry ralphation Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > On the topic of fares, penalty fares and stuff, I > have a question. > > I recently incurred a penalty fare (incorrectly) > and appealed it. The Indepnedent Penalty Fare > Appeals Service , to whom I appealed, completely > ignored my reasoning saying that because I had > signed a bit of paper at the station "procedures > had been followed" and that I was liable for the > penalty fare. That is to say, paperwork had been > done regardless of the actual events that took > place. I then complained again about this to IPFAS > but to no avail. > > They have decided their decision is final and have > now added a ?20 "admin fee" to the initial penalty > fare and passed it on to a debt collection agency. > This does not seem the behaviour I would expect > form a truly independent body (they would offer > further ways to appeal, would not add arbitrary > "admin fees" and would not pass debts on to > agencies - not least because the debt is to the > train company not to IPFAS) so I did some > investigation. > > I found out that IPFAS has its offices in > Southeastern Trains HQ and is staffed by > Southeastern Trains staff. On the Dept. of > Transport website, it says an indenpendent appeals > service must be and be seen to be independent. If > what I read about IPFAS is true then it doesn't > seem that it is and makes me wonder whether or not > I should bother paying any of the penalty fare > beyond the single fare I had tried to pay in the > first place when making my joutney. > > Barry, I don't want to have a go at you directly > about my penalty fare problems - I realise that is > not what this thread is for but is this true about > IPFAS? That they are based in an SE Trains office > and employ SE Trains staff?
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Blondie/Kaz Apologies for the closure at East Dulwich yesterdat and lack of tickets, please be assured my Ticket Office Manager is investigating this today sorry for inconvenience Barry kaz@263 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi Barry, I've just taken my parents to East > Dulwich to get the train to London Bridge. Ticket > office closed, ticket machine not working (showing > error message "out of tickets"), permit to travel > machine not working. Pretty bad when none of the > three methods of buying a ticket are not > operational. Hopefully they'll find an > understanding person manning the ticket barriers > at London Bridge so they don't get fined!
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Hi If I my be so bold and remember I do this posting as I feel it benefits you the passenger and me the station manager and I do this in my own time and is not a requirement of my role with Southern and I must remind you the comments I make are those of mine and not Southern Railway, however I totally disagree with your last sentance and I think unfair. I can not control the passenger flows, for example it is difficult when a lot of passengers decide to buy the monthly tickets on the first day of each month, this process takes longer, why is it that ticket offices dont have queues in the evenings, why cant a passenger purchase a ticket at the end of the day or on a weekend. I have listened to passengers on this thread and extended opening hours at a couple of the locations in my area. If someone purchasing a ticket wants information at the booth we will not say, sorry no information today there is a queue behind you, and I could go on with this...... but I wont. Making those comments does not help, I am here to listen and I do act upon suggestions and implement ideas, proof is right here on this thread and of course at the stations I manage. I am willing to listen...... I am willing to discuss with my team....... I am willing to help you the passenger, but not with those comments! As I have said before, my team and I are looking at every avenue to ease congestion. I will of course keep you updated Kind regards Barry Huggers Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > If people have to queue for a long time to buy a > ticket and miss trains as a result it is not > supportive of honest passengers (who are punished > with lateness for actually trying to buy a ticket) > and just encourages dishonest passengers. Cynics > might even be tempted to think that not making it > easy to buy a ticket but making it easy to be > caught if you don't is a revenue enhancing > technique.
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Good afternoon, just thought I would give you a small update on the area West Norwood Gates go live from 1000hrs tomorrow Tulse Hill Gates goes live on the 15th September and rear entrance reopens The mobile cleaners contract has been extended for a further 6 months, this covers South Bermonsey, East and North Dulwich and Queens Road Peckham The Peckham Rye booking hall will be painted in the next three weeks, apologies for this delay The scaffolding is being errected and the last of it should be done over night tonight. Work will then begin on the graffiti removal and painting of rear exterior windows Also pleased to announce that the waiting room has been refurbished on platform 4 at Peckham Rye (added bonus) The extended hours in the ticket offices at East and North Dulwich will continue for another 3 months and then they will be reviewed Pay as You Go Oyster is still scheduled for the new year Very shortly I will be able to publish the next batch of engineering works for the area and (please dont groan) Christmas and New Year train services, well some of you may want to spend time in the sales, once confirmed they will be posted on here. Also, a reminder that the following stations under my control are being handed over to LOROL on the 20th September. New X Gate, Annerly, Crystal Palace, Brockley, West Croydon, Norwood Junction, Honor Oak Park, Penge West, Sydenham and Forest Hill. It is also my intention to update this thread with some information regarding London Bridge and the proposed works that will take place over the next 5 to 6 years. There are two major projects and the first has already started and not affecting passengers at this moment in time, the first is the Shard Project and the second is the Thameslink Programme. I am now attending meetings and once schedules are released I will advise accordingly There are some other projects in the pipeline, these relate to , Balham, Queens Road and East Dulwich, however these programmes are in the early stages and will post accordingly Plenty here to digest and as per usual I welcome your comments and any ideas for future updates that you wish to see here Regards Barry
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Hi This is a very tricky subject, staff are not allowed to chase or haul passengers back beyond the gates for their own safety. Like most industries, safety is paramount and we have to ensure not only staff safety but passengers aswell. Unfortunately we have had a few repeat offenders like this in the past, the staff are instructed to log the time of the incident and a brief descreption of the offender. We then pass the information to our "Task Force" or the BTP for them to come to the station and carry out an undercover operation. We had a very similar case at Balham approximately 2 months ago and the person was arrested for fare evasion and threatening behaviour. Sometimes these can take time because we have to gather enough intel and of course see if there are any patterns in travelling times etc. Staff will do as much as they can to stop someone travelling without a valid ticket or trying to double through the gates. Please be assured this kind of behaviour does not go unoticed and it is managed Hope this helps Barry aligs Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Barry, not that I wish to sound like this is my > pet peeve or anything but there was an incident > yesterday at the now notorious P. Rye barriers > that left me infuriated. Just for the record, I > don't want to moan aimlessly about the station or > local rail services - they're usually pretty good > and this idea to get direct feedback from > passengers will probably get you a knighthood. It > certainly deserves to. Anyway... > > Like the honest citizen I am, I bought my ticket > from the machine (4:40pm yesterday, long queues, > one window, you know the drill) and walked over to > the barrier. Some bloke asked me if he could > follow me through the barrier as he didn't have a > ticket. I said I didn't think so, perhaps he > should ask the guy manning the barriers. He didn't > and just tailgated through after me. He then > bolted up the steps never to be seen again. I > looked round at the guy manning the barriers and > all he did was just stand there shaking his head > having seen the whole thing. > > What are the staff on the barriers actually > supposed to do? Admittedly, I wouldn't be prepared > to get a smack in the chops/spat at/abused by > unruly non-paying customers (though there was no > evidence to suggest this would have happened) if I > was doing that job so I can see why the guy would > want to keep a low profile but are they really > just supposed to ignore fare dodging when they see > it? It rather sends the message that it is > acceptable for all of us to just vault over the > barriers when we can't be bothered to pay or queue > for a ticket.
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Hi I am sure I have posted somehwere that there would be a delay for Pay As You Go, this has now been put back to January 2010. Apologies for these delays which are beyond Southern's control Regards Barry hensamenities Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Reading through this and overjoyed at thought of > pre pay oyster coming into operation at ED station > this september...... morning of the third has > arrived.... are my hopes to be dashed??
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