Asked to see train ticket but had only been to the Platform not on a train.

Spendless

This happened to me a while back but have thought about it recently.  Where I live is a busy main station to other areas of the country but it doesn't have ticket barriers. Last year I accompanied my student daughter to the platform as she was returning to her digs in Edinburgh and I helped her with bags, then waved her off. When I came out of the station (you have to climb stairs for all platforms) and was in the 'main bit' where the ticket office and destination board if and 2 sets of stairs and lifts to get to/from the platforms, I was asked to show my ticket. Of course I hadn't got one - I hadn't been on a train. My car was parked on a side street a few minutes walk away that allows 2 hours free parking so I hadn't even got any parking app/ticket to show. Fortunately I was believed but what if I hadn't been? I can't prove a negative.

I'd forgotten about this until recently, when I was commuting home after work and noticed a train spotter, writing numbers on a pad  (noticed him because I haven't seen one for years).  My train left  from a  mini platform that you can only access by a further set of stairs/lift and continue on an enclosed bridge and back down. On the bridge was a set of people asking to see my ticket - which  I had, but I started thinking about the train spotter. He could have easily been on this mini platform jotting down numbers returned and found himself asked for a ticket for a train he'd not been on, what proof would he have otherwise - I suppose he could show his jottings down.

This has got me thinking, are you not meant to be on  a platform unless you're getting on or off a train? One one of the platforms at my station is a pub.  It's not beyond the realms of possibility that you might decide to go for a drink there when just going past the train station and not having travelled by train then be asked to show your train ticket when you exit on the main bit. Years ago you had to buy a platform ticket and show all tickets before going onto the platforms and on your return but this stopped during the 90s. 

Grumpy_chap

You can buy a Platform Ticket
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ticket-types/tickets/ptf/

daveyjp

You need a ticket to travel.  If you haven't travelled you don't need a ticket.

If you get stopped it is down to whoever stops you to prove you travelled without a ticket, not for you to prove you didn't.

Platform tickets are still a thing and may be sold at barriered stations if assistance is required.

katejo

daveyjp said:

You need a ticket to travel.  If you haven't travelled you don't need a ticket.

If you get stopped it is down to whoever stops you to prove you travelled without a ticket, not for you to prove you didn't.

Platform tickets are still a thing and may be sold at barriered stations if assistance is required.

I didn't think they existed anymore. I don't remember seeing one since the 70's. 

Spendless

Thanks for replies. I meant at this particular station you once had to buy a platform ticket, think it was around 10p back then, from a vending sort of machine, show it to the man in the booth who was positioned by what was then the only set of steps to/from the platforms. The vending machine and the booth person disappeared years ago c1993. It's news to me if you still need a platform ticket I've never seen a sign up about it and I should imagine over 99% of people using the station in the circs I've described would be just as oblivious . I will ask next time I'm in. 

baser999

Google search suggests you should be in possession of either a travel or platform ticket else risk a fine if caught by ticket inspector 

double_dutchy

TfL (Transport for London) operates what they call a "compulsory ticket area". For all London Underground and other London train services operated by TfL you need to have some sort of pass/ticket/contactless card to be inside the barriers. If you aren't travelling you need a platform ticket, which currently costs £1, I believe, at most Underground stations (may be different elsewhere on TfL)

Spendless

baser999 said:

Google search suggests you should be in possession of either a travel or platform ticket else risk a fine if caught by ticket inspector 

I'm going to ask the question at the ticket office next time I pass. @double_dutchy -  I'm not in or near London. 

Alan_Bowen

I travel regularly from Sheffield and Doncaster, which would fit your descriptions of the two stations you refer to, neither has barriers and at Sheffield, people have to cross the entire station to get to the tram stop on the other side. I know EMR wanted to install barriers to limit income loss but the ensuing furore meant that nothing happened. I haven't seen platform ticket machines since I was a boy, and that wasn't yesterday. 

At Kings Cross LNER staff usually announce the imminent departure of the train on board and remind those not travelling to leave, so they must assume some do come to help even though the station does have barriers, which seem to be out of use more often than not. 

silverwhistle

Spendless said:

This has got me thinking, are you not meant to be on  a platform unless you're getting on or off a train? One one of the platforms at my station is a pub.  It's not beyond the realms of possibility...

Huddersfield is like that ISTR, as I went to a football match there and don't recall any barriers. Actually the beer was very good, I don't recall much... There's quite a few others I believe. Like others I haven't heard of platform tickets for years.

Wyndham

I've been wondering about this recently as well. I've cycled into town a couple of times, in order to go to a place very close to the station. So, I've 'parked' the bike on the platform. I do this because I think it will be reasonably secure bike parking, and the station has cameras, so if something happened to to it, there may be CCTV.

The station in question doesn't have barriers, and no one has asked to see a ticket. But I do wonder if I, or my bike, are trespassing? There are no signs around the cycle parking to say it is only for use of train customers, believe me, I've checked!

Like for the OP, there is a pub on one of the platforms as well, and it is used by both those travelling, and those who are not.