BBC TV Rip off Britain

[whole diary]

[BerkshireBugsy]

Mods - please feel free to delete this if it duplicates an already posted item (I did sear^h before posting)

This week the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) has been running a series of programs titled rip off Britain and in episode 8 - which I believe is still available on iplayer - there is an article on advance rail fairs in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom). The segment is about 40 minutes and covers the issues regarding the refund when you can't make your journey. This 10 episode series focuses on travel related issues.

If you stick with it until the end of the segment FGW^▸ (First Great Western) appears to have come out in a more positive light than possibly expected.

[JayMac]

Here's the link to the episode:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b04yn92b/rip-off-britain-holidays-series-3-episode-8

The item on rail fares starts at 30:50. The episode is available online on BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) iPlayer until Friday 13th February 2015. It may also be available to watch on the likes of Sky+, Freeview On Demand, etc.

The factsheet on train tickets mentioned in the item can be found at:
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/tv/ripoffbritain/booking-a-bargain-train-ticket.pdf


Also, near the start of the episode, there's a feature on the practices of a Private Parking Company (PPC) enforcing 'regulations' at Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LJLA). A subject close to my heart and not really done justice by the BBC. No mention that the airport and its approach roads are covered by Airport Byelaws, which makes the practices of the PPC barely legitimate. They cannot enforce their right to issue Parking Charge Notices (PCN), and pursue the registered keeper of a vehicle using the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, if the land on which they are operating is covered by statutory regulations in the form of byelaws.

What is mentioned in the article is that the PPC pay LJLA an annual fee and a percentage of each PCN issued. Thus, the operator's primary incentive is not traffic management, but maximising revenue. Vehicle Control Services Ltd wouldn't be forking out ^25,000 a year if they weren't going to get that back and then some.

That you also have to stop in a 'No Stopping Zone' to read and understand the terms you are agreeing to by entering airport land, shows just how farcical this sort of behaviour by landowners and PPCs is.

[PhilWakely]

..... there is an article on advance rail fairs in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom).

Intentional Freudian slip there? 

[BerkshireBugsy]

In one of the other episodes (from the previous week) there is a segment on problems with travellers having issues returning to the USA having left from a specific airport previously (Sanford orlando) .  A glitch in the computer system (following a software update) effectively marked them as overstayers because it recorded the date in the wrong format. This glitch only lasted 3 days but for those who left the USA during those days getting the issue resolved has been difficult to say the least

[BerkshireBugsy]

..... there is an article on advance rail fairs in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom).

Intentional Freudian slip there? 

Lol point taken

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

UK^▸ (United Kingdom) Parking Control admits staff altered photos to increase fees

A car park operator has admitted some of its employees have been altering photographic evidence to unfairly impose parking charges.

UK Parking Control said it will refund everyone potentially given unfair tickets by the employees, who have been changing timestamps on photos.

It operates more than 1,400 sites nationwide but has not disclosed how many of its employees were involved.

The company said disciplinary action was in progress.

It admitted the problem after it was raised by duped drivers in Lincoln.

The same problem has been reported outside Lincoln, including in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.

UKPC has been reported to Action Fraud and the complaint is currently being assessed by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau.

The British Parking Association (BPA) is also investigating.

UKPC said in a statement: "We regret to confirm that a limited number of pictures of vehicles, at a small number of car parks, have had their timestamp altered by a few of our employees to make it appear as though the vehicles had over-stayed when this was not the case. We have taken this issue extremely seriously and decided that even though a number of the relevant parking charges are likely to have been legitimately issued, we will refund all potentially affected parking charges for over-stays issued by these employees, to ensure that there is no room for error."

It has not disclosed where the employees worked, how long they have been altering photos, or how much money has been raised through wrongly issued tickets.

[grahame]

Where you come across a story like this, or you hear of an almost evangelical enforcement of a rule by an employee, you have to wonder if that employee is on a target and / or on commission.    I understand that train managers get a small commission for ticket sales, but I don't think that they have a target, whereas ticket office staff who sell tickets as part of their normal role are not commissioned - do I have that right?   What about revenue protection?

[LiskeardRich]

Where you come across a story like this, or you hear of an almost evangelical enforcement of a rule by an employee, you have to wonder if that employee is on a target and / or on commission.    I understand that train managers get a small commission for ticket sales, but I don't think that they have a target, whereas ticket office staff who sell tickets as part of their normal role are not commissioned - do I have that right?   What about revenue protection?

On another site it reported that the employees fiddling the times were on a basic salary plus ^2 bonus for each ticket issued if they issue under 20 tickets in a day, or ^3 a ticket if they issue more than 20 in a day.

The photos I've seen it's clear the photos (timed 2-3 hours apart) were taken at the same time from the shadows. One of  the photos had the same person loading their car in the background as well.