I like the way the ticket machine is now on the wrong side of the barriers.

Brian - you obviously don't do peak-time commuting. It's going to be absolute chaos trying to get onto the platforms particularly when they first get introduced and everyone not paying at all to travel up to new cross gate or with zone 2 passes realise they have to pay up. What's the point in conducting footfall studies if they push-through decisions that are going to result in dangerous queuing situations? This should have been thought through properly years ago.

True Foresters not at moment but do observe many going to Nx who do not pay. As difficult to check tickets on the train not sure what else they can do but do appreciate your comments. It is certainly a problem

Would like to know about getting a pushchair through these barriers. Are they proposing a manned gate or are one of these designed to be accessible? Its not possible to get my pushchair through a barrier nor is it safe to do so with a child in tow.

They have to have a manned gate and person attending all the time gates in use. If no person there then gates will be open.
You will notice that al all stations that have gates.

I was about to mention the ticket machine but someone got there first.
Trouble is, FH station is already quite cramped for the numbers of commuters passing through at peak times. When it rains it can get especially packed.

How do you get through the barrier to the ticket machine if you do not have a ticket?

When I go up to town in the evening only a few of the ticket barriers at London Bridge or Chaing Cross actually allow passengers to exit. People can go through quite quickly, if they actually have thir tickets ready.
I was quite annoyed last time i went through the barrier at Charing Cross when the barrier slammed shut into me although I had put a valid ticket in it.

Roz: a wide barrier gate has been installed with it's own ticket reading equipment, so you should be able to open the gate yourself with your ticket. I've never used one of these myself so I don't know what's to stop several people walking through.

There are only 3 'normal' gates, so the configuration is presumably 2 in one direction and 1 in the other. Unfortunately the way the ticket readers have been installed means that when exiting from Platform 1 you might need to insert your ticket in a reader on your left hand side, depending on which barrier you use, instead of the right hand side as is the norm. I don't know if that was intentional or whether they've made a mistake. If it's intentional then it will cause confusion and increase congestion as people try to work out where to put their ticket.

I don't think 2 barriers in any one direction during peak time will be sufficient, given that everyone will have to pass through the barriers because all the other exits have been closed.

blushingsnail,

Two people can get through a normal barrier on one ticket. They get close to you as you put your ticket in and go through with you.

I see chaos ahead.

Staange I see the down platform ahead

Anyone have a date on when the barriers will be in place?

I'm a little out of touch as have just resumed commuting after about a years break, but I had thought and hoped that the arrival of the barriers meant that Oyster would be with us sooner rather than later. However the ticket staff say that it won't be until 2010 as they are simply not ready until then. Were people assuming otherwise?

Roz, I believe the PAYG Oyster will be extended to the National Rail services this year - a legacy from Ken after much resistance by the train operators. I don't think the likes of Southern will start selling Oyster cards or issuing seasons on them for some time after though.

If the barriers are there, I cannot see why Oyster cannot be used.

You need barriers with Oyster readers to use them. The rail companies don't have them.

What this means is that people who have their season ticket on an Oyster Card will have to be let through the gate by the attendant. Most people who have an onward journey from London Bridge by tube or bus will be in this category. I'd guess that covers a pretty high percentage of those entering during peak hours. It will be interesting to see if they check them all on hand readers or just wave everyone through.

The barriers are going to have Oyster swipe machines built in, aren't they? Or at least that's what the bloke at the ticket office said. As far as I understand it, it'll just mean that you can't use pay-as-you go Oyster cards, just the weekly/monthly ones etc.

Yes, the barriers have Oyster readers (just the same as the ones at London Bridge, Charing Cross etc etc). An Oyster with a season ticket on will be fine, it's pay-as-you-go that can't be used.

I wonder what % of people don't pay to justify the inconvenience of trying to force a hundred of so people through just 2 barriers and presumably the extra cost of having someone manning the barrier since I'm guessing it can't just be whoever is in the ticket office. Guess I'll just have to make a mental note to come back once the station is unmanned and they open the gates so that it's quicker to get out. :p

So far as having PAYG goes, it will be great but I'm not surprised the rail companies didn't want it. They currently charge far more for an extension ticket than a Tube one costs and since you can't buy them at the ticket machine, you have to queue for them. I'll admit that there are occasions on a Sunday where I go down intending to buy one but after hanging around in a queue, the train comes and I just don't bother since I know I'll get out at the other end with my zone 2 ticket and there's no way I'm hanging around 30 minutes for the next train because someone in the queue in front of me is confusing the ticket seller by buying something that's not a simple return to x.

And I thought it was Ken's legacy that meant we were going to have to wait to 2010. Didn't Boris make a fuss about his success in getting them to do it earlier?