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TOCs defend themselves against ‘ticket machine jargon’ criticisms

TOCs have promised improvements to the self-service ticket selling process after a report by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) found that too many passengers are still experiencing difficulties using ticket vending machines.

The first ORR ‘Measuring Up’ report on TOCs’ levels of customer service identified some positive changes, such as a decrease in passenger complaints.

However, it highlighted a number of issues around vending machines, including the use of jargon such as ‘London terminals’ and ‘Any permitted’ without sufficient explanation, lack of important information such as what journeys a ticket is valid for, and a lack of filters to sort results.

The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) said it had developed a 10-point plan to deliver significant improvements within the next six months.

These include a cleansing of industry data to reduce the number of routes or tickets that cover the same journey; making the National Rail Enquiry ticket restriction text feed available to suppliers; greater consistency between suppliers as to when off-peak tickets are sold; and providing on-screen information about which products are sold at a machine.

It is also developing a new product management system with vending machine suppliers in order to improve the quality of data about areas such as route descriptions and off-peak validities available to TOCs.

However, the ORR report said: “While some progress has been made there is clearly more to do to ensure that ticket vending machines (or whatever technology might replace them), are capable of providing passengers with the kind of service that they expect.”

It said that the range of products available at vending machines was still limited compared to that available at other points of sale.

The report also found a wide variation in the length of time when off-peak tickets went on sale after peak services departed: from five minutes on East Midlands, to up to 15 minutes on Northern, to no set time frame on Govia Thameslink.

But a spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group, which represents the ATOC and Network Rail, said “independent research carried out on behalf of the rail industry” showed that 19 out of 20 passengers bought the right ticket at a vending machine.

However, he added: “Operators have to strike a balance between making ticket machines quick and easy to use while offering passengers a comprehensive range of fares, and we know we have more to do.”

David Sidebottom, passenger director at Transport Focus, agreed: “Operators still have work to do to show that they are truly on the side of the passenger.”

Sidebottom wrote for the most recent edition of RTM about a Transport Focus survey showing that passengers still consider customer-facing staff vital for buying tickets.

The ORR said it could use methods such as mystery shopping and audits to inspect individual companies whose services failed to reach standards.

This could include Chiltern, which experienced a higher level of complaints about vending machines than any other service.

(Image c. Lauren Hurley for PA Wire)

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