View Full Version : The barrier system in Heuston
Ron Burgundy
26-03-2010, 10:19
Below you will find an e mail i have just sent to Irish Rail. It relates to the fact they are now making every person put their ticket into the barrier machine when they know full well that A LOT of them don't work and never have.
Its the same staff members every day and i have the same conversation. Its causing me to miss a bus some mornings and the knock on is that i am in work late, have to stay late, have to get a later train and am home late. Its just a complete joke and all the staff to is say the mantra "talk to customer services" when they know well you are either in a hurry to get to work or get a train to go home.
Here is what i sent them............
I am sick to the teeth of the my ticket not working in the barriers in Heuston.
This morning 6 staff members stood around 1 barrier to get people who's tickets did not work ( at least 50 )to put theit tickets in the machine 1 by 1.
This is fine if you want to check that the customers ticket is valid. But 1 machine and 6 staff memebers.
One of these staff members named ****** ( sorry i do not have his surname ) personally told me "to have some manners" when i questioned why this idiotic shambles of a system is still being used when months its clearly not working.
Perhaps the staff member in question should look at the customer charter on how to treat customers.
With the above in mind i am due to collect my new ticket which will be valid from April 1 of this year ( great date to go with the level of service you provide 0) and i want to know how i go about getting the plastic card and not the pointless paper one i will be given that WILL NOT WORK in the barrier system in Heuston.
Mark Gleeson
26-03-2010, 10:29
If you hold a rail only short hop zone ticket i.e the 1030 one it will be replaced with a smartcard either on request or on renewal. Several thousand annual smartcard tickets have been issued. Due to restrictions imposed by the DoT no smartcard with luas/bus may be issued.
Any ticket which is refused is as a result of the ticket being defective, the software glitches last year have been sorted, though it is likely the ticket will need to be replaced before it will work again.
The level of ticket failures at Heuston massively exceeds that seen elsewhere. What error message does the barrier give?
Thomas Ralph
26-03-2010, 11:38
If your ticket is a rail-only, as Mark said, you will get the smartcard ticket when you renew. Current holders of rail-only tickets can exchange them for smartcards by request to the Taxsaver office.
If your ticket is rail and Dublin Bus, or any other non-rail-only ticket, the new ticket will be magnetic stripe for rail. This is expected to change to smartcard "soon".
Mark Gleeson
26-03-2010, 12:07
We have noted increased reports of poor staff attitude at Heuston
There doesn't appear to be any major hassles in Tara, Pearse and Connolly
Anyone who holds a Dublin bus issued annual ticket, the one with the separate ID card, there is a known issue with the barriers since the gate reads the smartcard on the ticket and rejects it as you insert it into the ticket reader
ACustomer
26-03-2010, 12:16
Mark Gleeson: you say: "Due to restrictions imposed by the DoT no smartcard with luas/bus may be issued".
I can understand why incompatible systems might lead one operator not to issue smartcards until the technical glitches get sorted. But what on earth does this have to do with the DoT? I thought the department was responsible for policy (God help us!) and not technical issues.
But what on earth does this have to do with the DoT? I thought the department was responsible for policy (God help us!) and not technical issues.
DoT told DB and IR that they could not make their tickets interoperable because it would impede the work of the PRA in developing the full integrated ticket. God knows why.
Mark Gleeson
26-03-2010, 12:36
The systems are fully compatible with each other, it politics which stand in the way
Ron Burgundy
26-03-2010, 14:09
My ticket is for rail and feeder bus ( 92 )
I really am sick of this, i pay 2640 for this rubbish.
I don't want excuses etc, i want a system that works before its launched or don't have it at all.
I thoroughly agree.
My ticket didn't work last year and the new ticket doesn't work either. Staff in Heuston stand around chatting or on their phones. Some are mannerly but you get the occasional rude one whom you feel like you're asking them a favour to let you through the barrier...One of them said to me last week that "you have to put the ticket into the machine (I had told him it gets stuck etc) because the managers are around and are watching us"....I really don't want to hear excuses etc. I just want to get to work and get out of the frigging station!!!
Why are we paying over 2,500 euro for annual passes that don't work?
I would agree. If the ticket machines don't work with a lot of valid tickets then the ticket machines shouldn't be used. Simple.
On a related note...I have been on board quite a few trains on which the next and only stop is Heuston and before stopping at Heuston with its brand new automatic ticket validation system a ticket inspector - possibly jealous of the new ticket machines? - comes around checking for tickets anyway.
I would agree. If the ticket machines don't work with a lot of valid tickets then the ticket machines shouldn't be used. Simple.
On a related note...I have been on board quite a few trains on which the next and only stop is Heuston and before stopping at Heuston with its brand new automatic ticket validation system a ticket inspector - possibly jealous of the new ticket machines? - comes around checking for tickets anyway.
Same here. That's been going on since before the automatic checks in Heuston though. They wait until after the last stop before Heuston to do a sweep cause they're lazy. I'd say it's easy to get from the likes of Kildare to Portlaoise without having a ticket.
I wonder if the original poster would let us know if he ever receives a reply to his e-mail from Irish Rail. I would be very surprised if they even acknowledge it.
Kilocharlie
26-03-2010, 22:56
Any ticket which is refused is as a result of the ticket being defective, the software glitches last year have been sorted, though it is likely the ticket will need to be replaced before it will work again.
No so; on many occasions my ticket is refused - actually the machine will not even ingest the ticket despite the green light - but works happily for the next dozen occasions. In general, if no-one is using a gate it does not work, if someone else has just gone through, it never fails. If it is refused, it has always worked at another gate.
I have a point to point with Luas/90 addon so it is still the magnetic strip type.
I notice this morning a group of staff dirercting everyone to machines when previously they frequently let people through without checking.
Mark Gleeson
27-03-2010, 00:40
If you look carefully you will see that the machine is likely displaying 'smartcard only' or some other message It does that when the mechanism is jammed.
The key to getting this resolved is to get the exact text which is displayed by the turnstile when it refuses the ticket. From that we can find out if
1. Is it the software in the gate
2. The ticket is unreadable
3. The ticket is encoded wrongly
We have put a fair few ticket scenarios to IE which tripped up the gates and they did get fixed. Irish Rail did issue a batch of annuals with the wrong expiry date a while back. The software was changed and a number of defective readers replaced and from experience the gates in Heuston have a very permissive set of rules compared to elsewhere.
The biggest tip, do not insert the ticket into the validator on the bus, thats a very common point at which the ticket becomes unreadable. If a ticket is refused it was probably damaged by the previous validation.
If you do have a rail only Dublin Short Hop zone ticket, get it replaced with a smartcard for free. There is a proactive program on going to swap these tickets out which has included IE staff showing up at large taxsaver customers to swap the tickets. The smartcard solution is the best as the magstripe option is never going to be 100% robust plus it eliminates the excessive resissue charge following loss/theft.
Kilocharlie
29-03-2010, 19:15
In Heuston: Gate with green arrow illuminated:-
Display says 'Please wait' - ticket cannot be inserted into the ticket slot.
Display says 'Ready' - the ticket passes throught and the gate opens.
I think a more positive signal is required if the machine is not accepting magnetic stripe tickets than the display saying 'Please wait'. Perhaps if a yellow light was displayed to indicate smartcard only or, if the machine is faulty, a red light.
Mark Gleeson
29-03-2010, 19:57
In Heuston: Gate with green arrow illuminated:-
Display says 'Please wait' - ticket cannot be inserted into the ticket slot.
Display says 'Ready' - the ticket passes throught and the gate opens.
I think a more positive signal is required if the machine is not accepting magnetic stripe tickets than the display saying 'Please wait'. Perhaps if a yellow light was displayed to indicate smartcard only or, if the machine is faulty, a red light.
The yellow light request is in for several months
PLUMB LOCO
29-03-2010, 22:23
I don't know how old any of the other posters here are but I have been travelling on CIE trains since the mid-1960s and have seen more different ticket barriers than you can shake a big stick at. The one thing they have all had in common is that they do not work! They are the product of a management obsessed with shedding staff at whatever cost. Why have a team of ticket checkers who can check tickets/provide a level of security and perform other useful tasks when you can spend thousands on the latest useless barrier technology. The pic below shows crowds arriving in London in 1934 for a football match - how many barriers did they pass through? And don't give me the bull about the cost of wages back then.
http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/2484/07650.jpg
When my annual pass goes into the machine, the machine gives the message "Ticket invalid". The pass goes in and out of the reader section a few times and eventually the machine just spews it back at me!!! The ticket is valid since January so it's not invalid and it didn't work from the first day it was valid from. One of the guys at the gate, told me I must have had it in with my mobile phone! Which I didn't...
Is it possible that my ticket can't be read by a machine at Heuston because of the bus/luas add on? In order to get this option on the pass, I had to get it vaild to Connolly. At least that's what I understood when ordering it through work.
Mark Gleeson
31-03-2010, 08:56
Does your ticket state
X to Heuston
Valid Bus 90/Luas
OR
X to Connolly
Valid Bus 90/Luas
That sounds like a software validity error, if the ticket was damaged you get the wrong side up error normally. Normally through Heuston the ticket is to Heuston plus the 90/luas add on, so to Connolly despite being valid could be confusing the system. We have asked for an elimination of Heuston/Connolly/Tara/Pearse/Docklands into a single destination of Dublin Central either with or without the 90/Luas
Hi Mark,
It's :
Athy to Connolly
Valid Bus 90/Luas
When ordering it to Heuston with a city centre bus/luas add-on, that's the ticket I got...
Mark Gleeson
31-03-2010, 09:21
Hmm
Thats a software glitch, I'll forward it up the tree and find out what the solution is, either software fix or replace with Athy-Heuston bus90/luas which is exactly the same. Hopefully the ticket will just magically work.
Ron Burgundy
31-03-2010, 10:26
Hmm
Thats a software glitch, I'll forward it up the tree and find out what the solution is, either software fix or replace with Athy-Heuston bus90/luas which is exactly the same. Hopefully the ticket will just magically work.
Mark thats the same as mine, i am so sick of it. I don't have time wander around ordering new tickets.
Mine worked the 1st day and that was it, no more.
I have a new ticket from next week so we'll see if it works at all..........:rolleyes:
Mark Gleeson
31-03-2010, 13:48
Athy-Connolly?
Kilocharlie
31-03-2010, 14:01
My Annual ticket is Kildare-Connolly with Luas/90 addon and, once a ticket gate accepts it, the ticket normally works.
I think tickets issued by TVM are to Hueston with City Centre add-on (which I think only goes as far as Abbey St)
Mark Gleeson
31-03-2010, 14:10
The issue has been flagged with IE, once there is a way to recreate the issue it can be fixed. Clearly the software in the gates sees Connolly and rejects on that
Thomas Ralph
31-03-2010, 14:17
The city centre add-on is valid on the Red line in the Central 1 zone (i.e. Heuston to Connolly and George's Dock), or on Dublin Bus routes 90, 91, and 92.
Kilocharlie
31-03-2010, 15:04
The issue has been flagged with IE, once there is a way to recreate the issue it can be fixed. Clearly the software in the gates sees Connolly and rejects on that
Not with my Kildare-Connlolly ticket! It works fine.
The only issue I have with gates at Heuston is that some have a green arrow, but will not accept a ticket - ticket will not go into the machine. If the ticket won't go in, it can't be validated. There is no problem with the ticket being valid or otherwise.
Mark Gleeson
31-03-2010, 15:08
If you get a gate with a green arrow, it could be smartcard only (yellow arrow fix requested) or just confused. We have devised a reset procedure, presenting any smartcard normally causes a reset if the gate is not in smartcard only.
I spoke to the customer service desk last week and one of the "managers" at "meet the managers" on Tuesday, about the fantastic charade that must take place every time I come to a ticket barrier.
Apparently smartcards are not available for annual ticket holders with destinations that are not "short hop" (or some other hop like that) but that they realise that such tickets are not going to work in the machines. They said that the software had been changed to accept more tickets, but that they were informing their staff that they were to let annual ticket holders with valid tickets through, without trying the tickets.
Yesterday, I had to drive, but this morning in Heuston, there was only one ticket checker, who was dealing with an inbound train. As I had 3 minutes to catch my train I waved my card at him, but no, the charade had to happen again. The staff member told me that he hadn't been told anything.
Maybe Irish Rail ticket checkers need to "meet the management."
On the 18.35 Heuston-Waterford at the moment. As far as could see everyone was sent through the barriers before we got on. Not even 20 mins into the journey and the ticket checker is doing his rounds. We are not due to hit the first stop at Athy for another 20+ minute or so. Anyone know why they do this? Are the barriers for show only?
Mark Gleeson
06-04-2010, 18:33
To check for people traveling beyond the station on the ticket, or 'gapping' for having a ticket for the start and end but not the middle
A headcount on each train is important as well
There was a incident on an afternoon train from Waterford today as well so eyes are out to prevent the troublemakers from returning home
Kilocharlie
06-04-2010, 19:04
The barriers only check that you have a valid ticket - not a ticket to where you are going. For example a ticket valid to Sallins will pass the barriers but not an on-board inspection.
There are a number of services, especially suburban to Portlaoise, Carlow, Athlone, Thurles etc that have no on-board staff, apart from the driver, and, for these, the barriers are the only check.
Until the time when all stations have exit barriers ticket checkers will still have a job.
UPDATE: This evening 3 checkers in orange coats decended on the 1840 to Thurles - at least on person was found without a ticket; maybe these 'no staff' trains are a bit tempting for those risking travelling without a ticket?
hmmm
I'd like to see the "business case" for the barriers.
Hard to see how they might be value for money....
Kilocharlie
12-04-2010, 12:05
I noticed that my annual ticket (Kildare-Connolly) is being rejected, after the machine make several attempts to read it, by some of the exit gates at Platforms 6-7-8 but usually works at the main concourse. Strange.....
Thomas Ralph
12-04-2010, 13:14
In the case of tickets not working please try to check the message on the orange LED screen (just below the green arrow), as it helps in diagnosing errors. "Wrong side up/Bun os cionn" and "Ticket failed/theip ar an ticeid" usually mean either the ticket, the reader, or both are faulty. "No valid route/nil aon bealach ceart" means the ticket was read properly but the system thinks it's wrong.
Mark Gleeson
12-04-2010, 13:42
In the case of tickets not working please try to check the message on the orange LED screen (just below the green arrow), as it helps in diagnosing errors. "Wrong side up/Bun os cionn" and "Ticket failed/theip ar an ticeid" usually mean either the ticket, the reader, or both are faulty. "No valid route/nil aon bealach ceart" means the ticket was read properly but the system thinks it's wrong.
And if its says No valid route/nil aon bealach ceart post here the start and destination stations, the ticket type and when the error was seen, on entry or on exit
We can then forward that to our contacts in Irish Rail who can debug the fault. Other errors try another turnstile if you have no joy likely the ticket is a dud
Tickets collected from booking offices will NOT work the gates, ticket collected from the machines SHOULD work the gates. Ticket collection machines will be available at all intercity stations in the next few weeks.
Ron Burgundy
15-04-2010, 07:43
Ok here is the reply i got from Irish Rail................
Hi Ron,
I understand the frustration that your Annual ticket not working is causing you and on behalf of Iarnród Éireann I would like to apologise for the inconvenience caused to you.
The interim Rail Only Smartcard is currently being rolled out to the Short Hop Zone (as far as Balbriggan, Maynooth, Kilcoole and Hazelhatch).
I note from checking the Taxsaver orders that you hold a Portarlington – Connolly, Point-Point ticket, purchased through the **********
As this is an integrated ticket, with Luas and Dublin Bus services, it falls under the Railway Procurement Agency Smartcard project. The integrated Bus/Rail/Luas
Smartcard project is organised outside the CIE group, by the Railway Procurement Agency. The latest date for go live of the RPA integrated project is March, 2011
In the interim period, I am planning on organising a replacement procedure on site at Heuston in the coming weeks for any Customers that have faulty magnetic tickets. This will be communicated through Taxsaver administrators, ******** in your department.
I have forwarded your email to the relevant Manager in Heuston station in relation to your comments on the Customer Service at the station. I trust this clarifies the matter
for you but do not hesitate to contact me directly on 7034003 if you require any further assistance.
Regards,
******
Ok so i get my NEW ticket on April 1:rolleyes: and it lasts for 3 days before it stops working just like the last two tickets i've got...........
Here is my reply this morning to Irish Rail
I used my new annual tickey for 3 DAYS and it has stopped working already.
Rude staff again, pointless waiting again, money wasted again !
I am paying for a product which does not work as described.
Under the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services act, good must be fit for their purpose. This ticket clearly is not as it won't work in the machines that are there over a year.
Your company have had enough time to sort this out.
I want to new ticket to be delivered to Heuston for my collection and every time it gives up ( which it no doubt will ) i want another one until you get this complete mess sorted.
There were a que of over 40 people waiting to get through the pointless barrrier this morning and one member of staff who couldn't care less and went at his Irish Rail pace.
As i have stated above i would like a new ticket to be available for collection in Heuston ASAP.
I am also considering connecting the press about this matter as there are a number of people in the same boat as me who pay a lot of money for this rubbish system and level of customer service as Heuston Station.
Regards,
Thomas Ralph
15-04-2010, 08:15
A train ticket is not a good, so section 14 of the Sale of Goods Act 1893 (as amended by section 10 of the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980), requiring goods to be of merchantable quality, does not apply to it. What you've bought is a service (transport) and your ticket is evidence that you've bought it.
PLUMB LOCO
15-04-2010, 09:40
I refer to my post #16 in this thread - which has had no response due to the fact that I'm either correct or a nutter - and I still maintain that properly trained, well motivated platform staff are better and more all round use to the travelling public than ticket barriers with very limited shelf lives. RUI in common with CIE/IE have an unhealthy fetish with modernity.
Thomas J Stamp
15-04-2010, 12:01
I refer to my post #16 in this thread - which has had no response due to the fact that I'm either correct or a nutter - and I still maintain that properly trained, well motivated platform staff are better and more all round use to the travelling public than ticket barriers with very limited shelf lives. RUI in common with CIE/IE have an unhealthy fetish with modernity.
well, i didnt see anyone disagreeing with you.
Ron Burgundy
15-04-2010, 12:17
A train ticket is not a good, so section 14 of the Sale of Goods Act 1893 (as amended by section 10 of the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980), requiring goods to be of merchantable quality, does not apply to it. What you've bought is a service (transport) and your ticket is evidence that you've bought it.
Ok i bought the service and i need to get through the barrier to use the service and i need my ticket to work to get through the barrier ??????
Chicken + egg :confused:
Mark Gleeson
15-04-2010, 12:27
Irish Rail is exempt from the Sales and Supply of Goods Act 1980 anyways
The ticket is valid for travel, it just doesn't work the barriers. The problem then is the ignorant staff who refuse to show any cop on, we don't have these problems in Connolly or Pearse. What exact error message are you getting?
We have been in communication with manager of the Taxsaver office and the plans to have people on site in Heuston are close to implementation. We have a number of ideas which might significantly reduce the rate of failure and are communicating these to Irish Rail.
Colm Moore
15-04-2010, 12:51
I refer to my post #16 in this thread - which has had no response due to the fact that I'm either correct or a nutter - and I still maintain that properly trained, well motivated platform staff are better and more all round use to the travelling public than ticket barriers with very limited shelf lives. RUI in common with CIE/IE have an unhealthy fetish with modernity.There are about 20 gates. Thats means that instead of a human having to check every ticket, thereby delaying passengers or having a large number of staff that are only busy part of the time, they can have a couple of better skilled staff (paid better if you want) who deal with the few people who have issues, whether no ticket / ID, can't find ticket, damaged ticket, don't understand the procedure, etc. This means the other staff can do other things, like help people, do crowd control and keep people informed.
All too often in the past, Heuston has been utter chaos when its busy, due to the inability of management and staff to pay attention to passengers needs.
Thomas Ralph
15-04-2010, 13:02
Ok i bought the service and i need to get through the barrier to use the service and i need my ticket to work to get through the barrier ??????
Chicken + egg :confused:
But the gate staff will (eventually) let you through the barrier.
Ron Burgundy
15-04-2010, 14:05
Irish Rail is exempt from the Sales and Supply of Goods Act 1980 anyways
The ticket is valid for travel, it just doesn't work the barriers. The problem then is the ignorant staff who refuse to show any cop on, we don't have these problems in Connolly or Pearse. What exact error message are you getting?
We have been in communication with manager of the Taxsaver office and the plans to have people on site in Heuston are close to implementation. We have a number of ideas which might significantly reduce the rate of failure and are communicating these to Irish Rail.
My ticket is for travel, YES.........to travle i must get through the barrier....;)
Invalid ticket is the message i got this morning and yesterday at the barriers at 1-5.
I have spoken to the manager and they are going to courier me a new ticket.
I good way to reduce the level of failure is 1 person and a bull doser driving towards the barriers !!!
Ron Burgundy
15-04-2010, 14:07
But the gate staff will (eventually) let you through the barrier.
Yes after i have missed a bus. I don't have time to fanny about.
Off train- throught barrier- bus- work...........If i don't get the 1st bus i can be 15 later into work and have to stay 15 later in the evening and that can lead to missing my planned train and getting home up to 45 mins to 1 hr late.
Couldn't IE just hand out a rail only smart card to people with these problems for free, then they can use the existing mag strip ticket on the "integrated" part of the journey?
What a total mess. Why have we tried to create an integrated ticketing system without first creating an integrated fare system??
Thomas Ralph
15-04-2010, 15:57
A rail-only smartcard would also be valid from Maynooth to Connolly and Balbriggan/Howth to Bray, which they haven't paid for.
Ron Burgundy
16-04-2010, 13:04
A rail-only smartcard would also be valid from Maynooth to Connolly and Balbriggan/Howth to Bray, which they haven't paid for.
But i have paid to get through the barrier ???
Thomas Ralph
16-04-2010, 13:13
I was responding to al2637's question on that point.
Mark Gleeson
16-04-2010, 13:14
The current smartcard package only works in the Dublin commuter zone, it opens every turnstile IE have in place - its still really under test to some degree. The more complex point to point rules have yet to be tried in public.
We have submitted some ideas to IE to address this issue, the simplest being to stop rewriting the mag stripe every time it passes through a machine. This could make a huge difference. Also never ever use the validator on the bus, they then to feed off annual tickets :eek:
I understand investigations are continuing to trace the exact reason for the high level of ticket failures and various things are being ruled out.
RadarControl
18-04-2010, 13:03
I got my annual ticket last week and tried to use it for the first time at 11pm on Thursday night in Heuston. It is valid since 1st of April. It is annual ticket for all DART, Dublin Commuter and Dublin Bus services. I put it into a machine and the message on display was "Ticket Failed". This is not acceptable. Does this ticket now need to be replaced already after one attempt?
Mark Gleeson
18-04-2010, 13:26
If it has never been used before anywhere including the bus it is unlikely to be broken
Did you try more than one turnstile?
RadarControl
19-04-2010, 10:41
Didn't get a chance to try it in another machine. Conductor came along and swiped me through another gate.
Purchased an online ticket for Cork - Dublin City Centre return for last Saturday. No problem going through the barriers on the outward journey to Dublin, but I got "Ticket Failed" when heading for the 19:00 back to Cork (barrier was the 2nd from the right).
I moved to the next one and it worked fine.
Apart from that, the girl checking my ticket told me that I was not booked on the train, I was booked on the 18:20 to Cork :confused: (Ticket said 18:20 Dublin City Centre - Cork)
Mark Gleeson
19-04-2010, 11:04
Purchased an online ticket for Cork - Dublin City Centre return for last Saturday. No problem going through the barriers on the outward journey to Dublin, but I got "Ticket Failed" when heading for the 19:00 back to Cork (barrier was the 2nd from the right).
I moved to the next one and it worked fine.
Apart from that, the girl checking my ticket told me that I was not booked on the train, I was booked on the 18:20 to Cork :confused: (Ticket said 18:20 Dublin City Centre - Cork)
That issue has been raised with IE and might get fixed soon, but you certainly had a booking for the 19:00 ex Dublin
....but you certainly had a booking for the 19:00 ex Dublin
After a bit of a tiff over the fact there is no 18:20 Heuston - Cork and the fact that the ticket says Dublin CITY CENTRE, I got an "Oh right..."
Ron Burgundy
21-04-2010, 13:31
I have spoken to the taxsaver manager and some staff members and they couriered me a new ticket this morning.
Overall the office staff have been so helpful compared to the complete clowns at Heuston.
I'll let you know how long this one lasts:D
Mark Gleeson
21-04-2010, 14:54
Through the smartcard project several of us have had dealings with taxsaver and in all cases the customer service, response time and the actual response was A1. And if you do ring up, you might find that the manager himself is manning the phones. They do also have the best website of any part of the CIE group as well.
If you are having a problem with a ticket, contact them ASAP and you will get sorted out. But when you do try to let them know what the ticket is doing wrong, the magic error message is key as that goes somewhat to tracking this horrible problem down.
James Howard
22-04-2010, 13:14
I would second that. Both times I have dealt with them to get my ticket replaced I have found the staff in the office to be exceptionally courteous and helpful.
But it still doens't excuse the bloody shambles regarding these ticket barrier machines. They are a hostile piece of equipment - they slam shut in front of you and then you have to do some bizarre standing back raindance to get the buggers to open. And they fail to achieve their purpose on two counts.
Firstly, it is elementary to tailgate through them so they don't even keep the scumbags off the system. And secondly, they are fairly useless for catching fare dodgers anyway. For example, I haven't seen a ticket checker on the 1805 to Longford in over a year so I know that I can get to Longford on a Drumcondra fare. You risk a hundred euro fine but that is the cost of four one-way tickets.
All these stupid machines do is cause hassle for honest fare-paying customers and they are basically indefensible. I remember when they first came in at Grand Canal Dock. As there are only three machines (possibly 4 - it's been a while), if you were at the wrong door on the train it could take you 10 minutes to get out of the station and they were causing dangerous levels of overcrowding on the the exit. It is only the recession that really took care of this problem.
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