Paul Corfield wrote in
:


The machines were bought down to a price to do a simple task - i.e. get
the cashless concept in and "working" as quickly as possible. I don't
like the machines - and I say this as someone who is a bit of an expert
on ticket machines - but I do recognise why they were bought.


One recent journey on the 243:

passenger boards at Holborn "the ticket machine doesn't work"

Told to get off and try again, which she does, without success, and re-
boards "it doesn't work".

Bus travels to next stop where she gets off to try again.

Inserts coin, presses cancel button (the machine was in full view of the
bus), gets back on "it doesn't work".

Bus travels to next stop, now outside the pay-before-you-board area.

Driver issues ticket. The following 243 is now right behind.

It is time the rules on drivers not issuing tickets in the pay-before-you-
board area were relaxed. The machines simply make bus travel more
difficult - mainly for the occasional users who need to be tempted out of
their cars!