Hi All,
My family visited Southend on Bank Holiday Sunday and we began with a train ride along the Pier, at the Pier entrance they had recently installed ticket machines and barriers. When we attempted to purchase our train tickets there were long queues and naturally I needed to buy four tickets. To achieve this I had to buy one at a time. At last when we eventually got our tickets missing a Pier Train during the process, a half hour wait at that time,for the next train. I conversed with a staff member who was not entirely happy with the new equipement said that the council purchased equipement designed for a car park.
Then arose a new difficulty at the barrier.when the ticket was put in the machine it did not as expected appear the opposite end but remained where it was in the machine and people were not removing their ticket or some found it difficult, it caused chaos and queues with frustrasted little children and parents trying to acclimatise to this peculiar new method.
Our traditional visit to the end of the pier.
We have enjoyed noting the progress and interesting developments and outlets featuring within the pavilion area built up by the Mc Ginty Family. We were amazed and horrified to learn that the council wish to remove and demolish the area meaning that the MaGinty Family and the the other buisinesses have to vacate their premises and leave at the end of the current season Why?
When we returned to the Pier Entrance the ticket machines had a sign errected OUT OF ORDER. NOW interested travellers had to purchase their tickets from the staff.We would like the Council to confirm is this a money saving idea or exercise and more importantly there are rumours that the council are improving the pier in order to sell it, is this true?
Alan