Residents' Association Forum

Good Afternoon, I am a long-term Thames Ditton Resident who has recently discovered this forum. This is my first post here.

I just wanted to let everyone know that I spoke to one of the top bods of South West Trains when I attended a 'meet the staff' event. I enquired as to why Thames Ditton station only had one ticket machine, as I have allowed 15-20 minutes to buy my ticket at the station in the morning yet sometimes I still can't get a ticket due to the queues. As I said, I explained that the station only has one ticket machine and one staffed booth, the latter of which is only in operation from about 6AM-12AM. I also asked as to the likelihood of another ticket machine being installed or even considered.

The response I got was that South West Trains occasionally review this sort of thing, and that the demand for a new ticket machine was not high enough as it would only be needed for about two hours in the morning, five days a week, as the rest of the time the station is relatively quiet, therefore the cost of installing an additional ticket machine was not financially viable, apparently. I just thought I'd post it on here as I imagine a lot of the forum members are commuters.

Thoughts?

I agree, a second machine would be great.

Im finding it difficult to park near the station, I don't understand the yellow lines on the station road, I would be happy to cycle but there is not bike rack either. Im new to this area, but there is a green bit of shrubland next the station which would be perfect for surface parking, the area could enhanced with trees. If the councils worried about loss of green space, there are some woods alongside the trackside which could be smartened to replace the amenity area lost.

I don't know what that green area is called next the train-line but I would not say its fairly useless at the moment and very wet today/during the winter.

The greenland next to the 'down' platform at Thames Ditton I believe is designated common land, so it's unlikely any surface parking would be introduced (plus the area is a thoroughfare to Ash Path).

The yellow lines down Station Road are quite recent, and I would imagine they are to maintain constant access as there is a school at the end of Basingfield Road and there is a roundabout and road islands just outside the station.

Okay thanks.

Ashley Road car park was common land at one stage looking at old aerial photos so parking is possible, a path go easily be created to ash path on one side. Running 700 metres to a station didn't make sense, no easy parking this morning

Agreed - a second ticket machine would be excellent - I've seen many people either miss trains or just get on anyway.  The annoying thing is the guards on the cr4ppy red trains (that we have at Thames Ditton) do not walk through and issue tickets (unlike the blue trains) so you can't buy on-board.    Despressingly, I don't think SWT give a damn about spending any money on our line or a new ticket machine.

In all honesty I think there are better things / improvements for sw trains to focus on than another ticket machine. This as we have oyster.

If I allow 5/10 minutes extra I have never struggled to get one in time and the one time I did I asked the guard if I could get on and buy at Surbiton. He didn't quite give the ok but didn't say no and they were fine at Surbiton.

Now I always have my oyster as back up and you can set up oyster for auto top up.

For the above posters who have struggled you do have other options - with oyster you can buy online the day before and 'pick up' your ticket as you tap in, and the newsagents on summer road also sell tickets.

I have to confess it was a pain for me to buy a ticket from Hampton court to London terminals but I couldn't do that with the machine either.

So all in all I think it would be wasted breath and probably not really necessary to get another machine.

Just my two penneth