First Bus continues to mistreat ticket-holding passengers

Tori Seager, 44, is the latest customer to be targeted by inspectors after buying a ticket via her phone. She said the bus driver did not tell her she needed a physical ticket.

The English language teacher said: "I got on at 2.02pm and paid £2 via my phone.

Tori was targeted by ticket inspectors while travelling on the 25 service to the UEA (Image: Denise Bradley)

"I got the notification that I had paid and at no point did the driver tell me that I needed to keep my paper ticket or make any effort to give it to me.

"The bus continued and three stops later two intimidating-looking men got on wearing stab vests with body cameras.

"They looked like the police at first but then they announced that everyone was to prepare their tickets and proof of travel."

Tori showed her Google Wallet notification to the inspectors but they told her it wasn't enough and she needed the paper ticket or she would have to get off the bus.

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"I got out of my seat and spoke to the driver who said 'I can't help ya'," she said.

"I refused to pay again for a service I'd already clearly paid for and exited the bus.

"So I paid £2 for a piece of paper that wasn't actually actively given to me for me to then have to walk the rest of my journey.

Claire Quinton-Tulloch, PR manager for First Eastern Counties, reiterated the company line that a physical ticket must be held for the duration of the journey and it is up to the passenger to take it and keep it.

Tickets inspectors have been patrolling First services since March, pictured here on the right (Image: Arthur Maskell)

But it becomes more complicated when passengers purchase monthly e-tickets as these do not need a physical version.

According to First Bus this is because tickets bought via mobiles when passengers get on the bus do not have details of the journey, whereas monthly e-tickets do have this information.

But Tori remains "disgusted, humiliated, and outright fuming" about the incident and demands both a refund and a personal apology from the company.

"It's downright discrimination and they should be held accountable," she added.

FURY AT FIRST 

Opposition to First's "militant" rules about physical tickets has been well documented since enforcement officers were introduced to its services in March. 

Inspectors have been accused of being heavy-handed and rude when confronting passengers believed to be travelling without valid proof. 

People have been yelled at and even forced to fish their discarded tickets out of the bin to prove they were not fare-hopping. 

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But First Bus has maintained that the black-clad bus inspectors are acting within their powers and there have been no incidences of inappropriate actions.

Piers Marlow, managing director of First Bus, previously said: "Revenue protection officers receive training before engaging with the public, as well as being regularly monitored.

"Body cams also record their interactions with passengers which is reviewed when alleged issues are raised.

"We haven't found any evidence of an RPO behaving inappropriately towards a passenger even in cases where they themselves have been subject to rude and aggressive behaviour."