Unhelpful train staff over ticket

My daughter has recently started a university course at NEWI, Wrexham. As it is expensive to live in, she has a part-time job in Cosford and commutes by train.

On September 27, my daughter was on the train and when she came to pay for her ticket, she found that she had forgotten her purse. The ticket collector told her she would be able to sort out payment at Shrewsbury.

She went to the ticket office at Shrewsbury train station and was told that we could pay for her ticket at Telford. The staff at Telford would then ring the staff at Shrewsbury and they would issue the ticket.

My wife and I were appalled to be informed that not only was this process subject to a £10 charge, but we could only purchase a single ticket.

This would leave my daughter stranded in Wrexham with no way of paying for her travel home, other than to do the same again which would attract another £10 charge.

When my wife enquired as to what my daughter was to do at Wrexham with no money to buy her ticket, she was greeted with a shrug from the member of Central Trains staff.

The rude and ignorant attitude to which my daughter was subjected at Wrexham by a member of Arriva trains was just as bad.

The staff at Shrewsbury could not be bothered to let her know that the ticket had been paid for. She told us that she had not been told, let alone been given a ticket.

Is it any wonder that people are reluctant to travel on public transport?

Thanks must go to the single members of staff at each station who were helpful with our problem.

I have sent e-mails to both Arriva and Central trains asking for explanations.

Gary Sharpe, Oakengates