This machine is currently out of service. Abellio Greater Anglia apologise for any inconvenience this may cause
I’m sure we all remember SCDC’s controversial closure of Woodbridge’s Tourist Information Centre last year. At the time, we Woodbridge residents were all assured that the new ticket machine at the station would be just as effective as the friendly and helpful staff who had been such an integral part of the Tourist Information Centre by Woodbridge station.
Right.
I have just had to make a 15mile round trip in the pouring rain to collect tickets from Ipswich because the machine is ‘currently out of service’. This is the second time in 4 days. Like many of my constituents I have limited transport choices, and am currently suffering from extreme mobility problems.
Some bright spark has just pointed out we could buy tickets on the trains. Why gosh, so we could. Buying my tickets on the train might meaan that travelling to the funeral I am attending next week would cost a little over £130, instead of the £25 return my prebooked tickets sitting in Woodbridge’s non-working ticket machine might cost, but hey – what is that? a mere bagatelle!
Taking the TIC away, and further limiting our choices by having a non-working machine has really not benefited all those who most needed it. Can I give a special thank you to the SCDC councillors of Woodbridge who made this decision on our behalf. We do remember who they are.
Incidentally, readers, are you as irritated as I am by the formulaic mantra whereby a company will ” apologise for any inconvenience this may cause“? What on earth do they mean by “any inconvenience”? Are they suggesting that some people will come along to buy a ticket from this non-operational machine and find themselves in any sense convenienced by its lack of action?
Abellio Greater Anglia – if the ticket machine doesn’t work , aren’t you – in your heart of hearts – expecting it to cause inconvenience to each and every passenger (I unapologetically use the old-fashioned term) who wants to buy a ticket? So, go on -why not apologise unreservedly to all of us?