RAIL USERS trying to pay for their tickets with the new €5 note could be in bother, according to an association representing rail travellers.
Rail Users Ireland says neither the Luas operator Veolia, nor Iarnród Éireann, have updated their ticket machines to be able to accept the €5 note which was introduced to circulation last week.
The body says its members have tested the new €5 note at several machines, but have had no success in finding a machine that accepts the new ones.
It said that while this was not a problem in all circumstances – because some stations often had manned counters where staff could sell a ticket to a passenger – it was problematic in circumstances where staff were not present to accept the note.
It added that if a passenger was in possession of enough cash to buy a ticket, but their banknote was not accepted at a machine, they were left with a dilemma about whether to board the train and hope to explain their circumstances to a ticket inspector.
“Rail Users Ireland has no confidence that ticket checking staff will show appropriate discretion where a passenger through no fault of their own was unable to purchase a ticket as a result of rejection of the new 5 euro note,” the body said in a statement.
The new notes are the same width as the previous ones, at 120 millimetres, but are slightly taller than the earlier generation: the new note is 71 millimetres tall, while the previous ones were only 62 millimetres in height.
The notes came into circulation two weeks ago, but both the new and old €5 notes will be considered legal tender for the foreseeable future.
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