[Nottingham] O/T: Data Collection at NET - byelaws

[Paul Sladen]

On Fri, 9 Jan 2015, Dan Caseley wrote:
> [a report of a] rather concerning interaction with a tram
> conductor regarding the issuing of a penalty notice,

My understanding is that the passenger in question was queried by an
"Authorised person" under Section 1.(1)(i) of the byelaws:

  "Nottingham Express Transit Byelaws 2014" (23 February 2014)
  http://www.thetram.net/NET%20Byelaws%202014.pdf

I am not aware of any basis for requesting DoB or telephone; a
passenger must provide name and address (see below).

The mode of operation observed is normally to ask a passenger to step
off the tram onto the tramstop platform (a penalty fare area, when
arriving by tram), and then to process passengers on the tramstop:

  "20(4) No person at a tramstop compulsory ticket area shall be in
  breach of this Byelaw 20 unless he came there by alighting from a
  tram"

Under s.26. the Authorised person must produce to the passenger
identification, including their employer (remember there may be
contracters involved), and in turn, under s.27 a passenger must
provident an Authorised person with name + address.

If the passenger had a ticket/pass/were instructed to
board/kangaroo/smart card/signage was not in place at the starting
tramstop then appeal it.  In all other cases, pay up within 22 days,
but take the detail of the Authorised person and report them to
attempting to obtain information not authorised under s.27 etc.

On a more amusing note;

A long-jumper able to reliably jump 2 metres has an advantage, in that
1.(1)(iii) defines the tramstop compulsory ticket area as:

  1.(1)(iii) "the platform edge facing a line of the authorised
  tramway that is approximately 310 millimeters higher than
  the nearer rail ... for a distance equal to and directly opposite
  that platform edge ... 2 metres perpendicularly offset from the
  platform edge"
  
Additionally, s.32 covers public rights of access to streets; which
could apply in the case of eg. High School tramstop where the
platforms are the pavement itself.  That would be an interesting one
to see in court, however correctly constructing a situation to get it
to court will be interesting---probably requires a broken ticket
machine at The Forest and an uphill ticket check.

In summary, buy a ticket *and* carry a copy of the byelaws.

	-Paul