• Secret shopper tests UK public transport

    From Recliner@recliner.usenet@gmail.com to uk.railway,uk.transport.london on Sun Oct 26 12:59:23 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

    I see the Justice Ministry has recently conducted a useful secret shopper
    test of the ease of use of the British public transport system. It dumped a bewildered Ethiopian man on the street in Chelmsford with a few pounds in
    his pocket and all his possessions in a plastic sack. He was expecting
    booked motorised transport to his next destination, but was instead advised
    to make his way to the station on foot. He was very reluctant to embark on
    this unexpected mission, but was given no choice.

    He had to ask passers-by for directions, but succeeded in finding the
    station, where he bought the correct GA ticket to Stratford. He duly left
    the station there, and found his way to a library in Dalston, probably
    using LO, perhaps to consult some maps, or to pick up the next clue in his mission? He then made his way, presumably by LO/LU train or bus, to
    Finsbury Park, where he was recognised and picked up at a bus stop,
    fittingly by two young ladies. Had he figured out how to pay his fare on cashless London buses and LO? Perhaps herCOd invested in an Oyster card?

    https://www.thetimes.com/article/10e766b2-49c7-456b-8f1d-3edd0d32d326?shareToken=08a3994c3b58def030154082a17b896d

    Anyway, the UK public transport industry comes out of this test rather
    better than the Justice ministry.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From JNugent@JNugent73@mail.com to uk.railway,uk.transport.london on Sun Oct 26 13:03:14 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

    On 26/10/2025 12:59 pm, Recliner wrote:
    I see the Justice Ministry has recently conducted a useful secret shopper test of the ease of use of the British public transport system. It dumped a bewildered Ethiopian man on the street in Chelmsford with a few pounds in
    his pocket and all his possessions in a plastic sack. He was expecting
    booked motorised transport to his next destination, but was instead advised to make his way to the station on foot. He was very reluctant to embark on this unexpected mission, but was given no choice.

    He had to ask passers-by for directions, but succeeded in finding the station, where he bought the correct GA ticket to Stratford. He duly left
    the station there, and found his way to a library in Dalston, probably
    using LO, perhaps to consult some maps, or to pick up the next clue in his mission? He then made his way, presumably by LO/LU train or bus, to
    Finsbury Park, where he was recognised and picked up at a bus stop,
    fittingly by two young ladies. Had he figured out how to pay his fare on cashless London buses and LO? Perhaps herCOd invested in an Oyster card?

    https://www.thetimes.com/article/10e766b2-49c7-456b-8f1d-3edd0d32d326?shareToken=08a3994c3b58def030154082a17b896d

    Anyway, the UK public transport industry comes out of this test rather
    better than the Justice ministry.

    :-)

    Brilliant.

    All's well that ends well, except that the person who "mistakenly"
    released the person in question will probably only have to do a training course or something.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tweed@usenet.tweed@gmail.com to uk.railway,uk.transport.london on Sun Oct 26 13:20:22 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

    JNugent <JNugent73@mail.com> wrote:
    On 26/10/2025 12:59 pm, Recliner wrote:
    I see the Justice Ministry has recently conducted a useful secret shopper
    test of the ease of use of the British public transport system. It dumped a >> bewildered Ethiopian man on the street in Chelmsford with a few pounds in
    his pocket and all his possessions in a plastic sack. He was expecting
    booked motorised transport to his next destination, but was instead advised >> to make his way to the station on foot. He was very reluctant to embark on >> this unexpected mission, but was given no choice.

    He had to ask passers-by for directions, but succeeded in finding the
    station, where he bought the correct GA ticket to Stratford. He duly left
    the station there, and found his way to a library in Dalston, probably
    using LO, perhaps to consult some maps, or to pick up the next clue in his >> mission? He then made his way, presumably by LO/LU train or bus, to
    Finsbury Park, where he was recognised and picked up at a bus stop,
    fittingly by two young ladies. Had he figured out how to pay his fare on
    cashless London buses and LO? Perhaps herCOd invested in an Oyster card?

    https://www.thetimes.com/article/10e766b2-49c7-456b-8f1d-3edd0d32d326?shareToken=08a3994c3b58def030154082a17b896d

    Anyway, the UK public transport industry comes out of this test rather
    better than the Justice ministry.

    :-)

    Brilliant.

    All's well that ends well, except that the person who "mistakenly"
    released the person in question will probably only have to do a training course or something.



    Probably more likely a failure to deliver the deportation paperwork to the prison. The administrative systems of the courts are threadbare after years
    of cuts. But some poor sod will carry the can for the failure of their
    masters.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Coffee@martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk to uk.railway,uk.transport.london on Sun Oct 26 20:27:35 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

    On 26/10/2025 13:03, JNugent wrote:
    On 26/10/2025 12:59 pm, Recliner wrote:
    I see the Justice Ministry has recently conducted a useful secret shopper
    test of the ease of use of the British public transport system. It
    dumped a
    bewildered Ethiopian man on the street in Chelmsford with a few pounds in
    his pocket and all his possessions in a plastic sack. He was expecting
    booked motorised transport to his next destination, but was instead
    advised
    to make his way to the station on foot. He was very reluctant to
    embark on
    this unexpected mission, but was given no choice.

    He had to ask passers-by for directions, but succeeded in finding the
    station, where he bought the correct GA ticket to Stratford. He duly left
    the station there, and found his way to a library in Dalston, probably
    using LO, perhaps to consult some maps, or to pick up the next clue in
    his
    mission?-a He then made his way, presumably by LO/LU train or bus, to
    Finsbury Park, where he was recognised and picked up at a bus stop,
    fittingly by two young ladies. Had he figured out how to pay his fare on
    cashless London buses and LO?-a Perhaps herCOd invested in an Oyster card? >>
    https://www.thetimes.com/article/10e766b2-49c7-456b-8f1d-3edd0d32d326?
    shareToken=08a3994c3b58def030154082a17b896d

    Anyway, the UK public transport industry comes out of this test rather
    better than the Justice ministry.

    :-)

    Brilliant.

    All's well that ends well, except that the person who "mistakenly"
    released the person in question will probably only have to do a training course or something.


    The biggest stand out for me is that the prison staff fobbed off a
    person who was obviously confused and bewildered and incapable of
    functioning correctly. At the very least those staff deserve a severe bollocking.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Recliner@recliner.usenet@gmail.com to uk.transport.london,uk.railway on Sun Oct 26 21:25:09 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

    Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
    On 26/10/2025 13:03, JNugent wrote:
    On 26/10/2025 12:59 pm, Recliner wrote:
    I see the Justice Ministry has recently conducted a useful secret shopper >>> test of the ease of use of the British public transport system. It
    dumped a
    bewildered Ethiopian man on the street in Chelmsford with a few pounds in >>> his pocket and all his possessions in a plastic sack. He was expecting
    booked motorised transport to his next destination, but was instead
    advised
    to make his way to the station on foot. He was very reluctant to
    embark on
    this unexpected mission, but was given no choice.

    He had to ask passers-by for directions, but succeeded in finding the
    station, where he bought the correct GA ticket to Stratford. He duly left >>> the station there, and found his way to a library in Dalston, probably
    using LO, perhaps to consult some maps, or to pick up the next clue in
    his
    mission?-a He then made his way, presumably by LO/LU train or bus, to
    Finsbury Park, where he was recognised and picked up at a bus stop,
    fittingly by two young ladies. Had he figured out how to pay his fare on >>> cashless London buses and LO?-a Perhaps herCOd invested in an Oyster card? >>>
    https://www.thetimes.com/article/10e766b2-49c7-456b-8f1d-3edd0d32d326?
    shareToken=08a3994c3b58def030154082a17b896d

    Anyway, the UK public transport industry comes out of this test rather
    better than the Justice ministry.

    :-)

    Brilliant.

    All's well that ends well, except that the person who "mistakenly"
    released the person in question will probably only have to do a training
    course or something.


    The biggest stand out for me is that the prison staff fobbed off a
    person who was obviously confused and bewildered and incapable of functioning correctly. At the very least those staff deserve a severe bollocking.


    Yes, it struck me that even if had he been correctly released, what would
    have happened to him? He was confused, had little money, and had nowhere
    to go. He presumably had to sleep rough, and would sooner or later have
    been caught shop lifting or other theft, and been back inside again.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From JNugent@JNugent73@mail.com to uk.transport.london,uk.railway on Mon Oct 27 00:43:01 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

    On 26/10/2025 09:25 pm, Recliner wrote:
    Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
    On 26/10/2025 13:03, JNugent wrote:
    On 26/10/2025 12:59 pm, Recliner wrote:
    I see the Justice Ministry has recently conducted a useful secret shopper >>>> test of the ease of use of the British public transport system. It
    dumped a
    bewildered Ethiopian man on the street in Chelmsford with a few pounds in >>>> his pocket and all his possessions in a plastic sack. He was expecting >>>> booked motorised transport to his next destination, but was instead
    advised
    to make his way to the station on foot. He was very reluctant to
    embark on
    this unexpected mission, but was given no choice.

    He had to ask passers-by for directions, but succeeded in finding the
    station, where he bought the correct GA ticket to Stratford. He duly left >>>> the station there, and found his way to a library in Dalston, probably >>>> using LO, perhaps to consult some maps, or to pick up the next clue in >>>> his
    mission?-a He then made his way, presumably by LO/LU train or bus, to
    Finsbury Park, where he was recognised and picked up at a bus stop,
    fittingly by two young ladies. Had he figured out how to pay his fare on >>>> cashless London buses and LO?-a Perhaps herCOd invested in an Oyster card? >>>>
    https://www.thetimes.com/article/10e766b2-49c7-456b-8f1d-3edd0d32d326? >>>> shareToken=08a3994c3b58def030154082a17b896d

    Anyway, the UK public transport industry comes out of this test rather >>>> better than the Justice ministry.

    :-)

    Brilliant.

    All's well that ends well, except that the person who "mistakenly"
    released the person in question will probably only have to do a training >>> course or something.


    The biggest stand out for me is that the prison staff fobbed off a
    person who was obviously confused and bewildered and incapable of
    functioning correctly. At the very least those staff deserve a severe
    bollocking.


    Yes, it struck me that even if had he been correctly released, what would have happened to him? He was confused, had little money, and had nowhere
    to go. He presumably had to sleep rough, and would sooner or later have
    been caught shop lifting or other theft, and been back inside again.

    Only shop-lifting?

    Nothing worse?


    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From JMB99@mb@nospam.net to uk.railway,uk.transport.london on Mon Oct 27 06:33:09 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

    I like the way that Lammy is praising the Met Police for 'finding' him
    when actually it was a member of the public who found him and told the
    Met Police where to get him.



    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From JMB99@mb@nospam.net to uk.transport.london,uk.railway on Mon Oct 27 06:43:21 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

    I am sure people living near prisons recognise the grey tracksuits but
    why not go back to all prison clothing being immediately recognisable -
    broad arrows, stripes, target on the back etc......
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tweed@usenet.tweed@gmail.com to uk.railway,uk.transport.london on Mon Oct 27 06:55:02 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

    Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
    Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
    On 26/10/2025 13:03, JNugent wrote:
    On 26/10/2025 12:59 pm, Recliner wrote:
    I see the Justice Ministry has recently conducted a useful secret shopper >>>> test of the ease of use of the British public transport system. It
    dumped a
    bewildered Ethiopian man on the street in Chelmsford with a few pounds in >>>> his pocket and all his possessions in a plastic sack. He was expecting >>>> booked motorised transport to his next destination, but was instead
    advised
    to make his way to the station on foot. He was very reluctant to
    embark on
    this unexpected mission, but was given no choice.

    He had to ask passers-by for directions, but succeeded in finding the
    station, where he bought the correct GA ticket to Stratford. He duly left >>>> the station there, and found his way to a library in Dalston, probably >>>> using LO, perhaps to consult some maps, or to pick up the next clue in >>>> his
    mission?-a He then made his way, presumably by LO/LU train or bus, to
    Finsbury Park, where he was recognised and picked up at a bus stop,
    fittingly by two young ladies. Had he figured out how to pay his fare on >>>> cashless London buses and LO?-a Perhaps herCOd invested in an Oyster card? >>>>
    https://www.thetimes.com/article/10e766b2-49c7-456b-8f1d-3edd0d32d326? >>>> shareToken=08a3994c3b58def030154082a17b896d

    Anyway, the UK public transport industry comes out of this test rather >>>> better than the Justice ministry.

    :-)

    Brilliant.

    All's well that ends well, except that the person who "mistakenly"
    released the person in question will probably only have to do a training >>> course or something.


    The biggest stand out for me is that the prison staff fobbed off a
    person who was obviously confused and bewildered and incapable of
    functioning correctly. At the very least those staff deserve a severe
    bollocking.


    Yes, it struck me that even if had he been correctly released, what would have happened to him? He was confused, had little money, and had nowhere
    to go. He presumably had to sleep rough, and would sooner or later have
    been caught shop lifting or other theft, and been back inside again.


    ThatrCOs the fate of a lot of people released from prison unfortunately. This isnrCOt unusual. Most people have little idea about the state of collapse of the criminal justice system. As you point out, it ultimately affects us
    all.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Recliner@recliner.usenet@gmail.com to uk.railway,uk.transport.london on Mon Oct 27 10:30:02 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

    JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> wrote:
    I like the way that Lammy is praising the Met Police for 'finding' him
    when actually it was a member of the public who found him and told the
    Met Police where to get him.


    Yes, considering the amount of CCTV camera coverage in London, itrCOs amazing that he wasnrCOt spotted that way.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway,uk.transport.london on Mon Oct 27 10:41:01 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

    In message <KQHLQ.71943$uBpd.27284@fx11.ams1>, at 10:30:02 on Mon, 27
    Oct 2025, Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> remarked:
    JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> wrote:
    I like the way that Lammy is praising the Met Police for 'finding' him
    when actually it was a member of the public who found him and told the
    Met Police where to get him.

    Yes, considering the amount of CCTV camera coverage in London, itrCOs amazing >that he wasnrCOt spotted that way.

    To be fair I think he was spotted (for example in a public library) but presumably by the time the police arrived he'd gone.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tweed@usenet.tweed@gmail.com to uk.railway,uk.transport.london on Mon Oct 27 10:56:03 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

    Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
    JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> wrote:
    I like the way that Lammy is praising the Met Police for 'finding' him
    when actually it was a member of the public who found him and told the
    Met Police where to get him.


    Yes, considering the amount of CCTV camera coverage in London, itrCOs amazing that he wasnrCOt spotted that way.



    CCTV needs someone to view the footage. Most CCTV recordings are only
    looked at after an event. I did like the, somewhat tongue in cheek,
    suggestion that the output of such cameras should be fed into old folks
    homes to replace day time TV. Whenever computer recognition of faces is suggested for the identification of wrong doers the world tends to go mad.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From JMB99@mb@nospam.net to uk.railway,uk.transport.london on Mon Oct 27 11:43:42 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

    On 27/10/2025 10:30, Recliner wrote:
    Yes, considering the amount of CCTV camera coverage in London, itrCOs amazing that he wasnrCOt spotted that way.



    Wait a few days and they will try to use to justify more use of facial recognition (though doesn't it struggle with black faces?) and us all
    carrying Starmer's Ausweis.


    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From JMB99@mb@nospam.net to uk.railway,uk.transport.london on Mon Oct 27 11:49:11 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

    On 27/10/2025 10:56, Tweed wrote:
    CCTV needs someone to view the footage. Most CCTV recordings are only
    looked at after an event. I did like the, somewhat tongue in cheek, suggestion that the output of such cameras should be fed into old folks
    homes to replace day time TV. Whenever computer recognition of faces is suggested for the identification of wrong doers the world tends to go mad.



    Didn't a US Sheriff put the cameras on the Mexican border online so
    anyone could monitor them and alert them to any illegal immigrants.

    I remember some time ago a man was beaten up really badly in Edinburgh,
    the police released the pictures later and claimed it showed the
    importance of CCTV coverage. I was sure the victim would have much
    preferred there to have been human police officer intervene so he was
    not beaten up.

    Police always claim CCTV prevents crime but it is mainly a tool to be
    used later without them having to go out in the cold and rain.




    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From boltar@boltar@battlestar-galactica.com to uk.railway,uk.transport.london on Mon Oct 27 19:58:25 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

    On Mon, 27 Oct 2025 10:30:02 GMT
    Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
    JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> wrote:
    I like the way that Lammy is praising the Met Police for 'finding' him
    when actually it was a member of the public who found him and told the
    Met Police where to get him.


    Yes, considering the amount of CCTV camera coverage in London, itrCOs amazing >that he wasnrCOt spotted that way.

    Their top cops are too busy trawling twitter for hurty words.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From boltar@boltar@battlestar-galactica.com to uk.railway,uk.transport.london on Mon Oct 27 19:59:35 2025
    From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

    On Mon, 27 Oct 2025 11:43:42 +0000
    JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> wrote:
    On 27/10/2025 10:30, Recliner wrote:
    Yes, considering the amount of CCTV camera coverage in London, itrCOs amazing

    that he wasnrCOt spotted that way.



    Wait a few days and they will try to use to justify more use of facial >recognition (though doesn't it struggle with black faces?) and us all >carrying Starmer's Ausweis.

    Why don't they just sort out fake NI numbers being dished out to illegals
    and they wouldn't need any digital id.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2