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As passenger numbers are rising TOCs should look at having more staff at stations at peak times. Is one person selling tickets really enough when there is a train in one direction a few minutes after one on the other? Also, if a ticket machine breaks and there is only one at the station then it's means no-one can buy before they board and a conductor may decide to phone the station if people claim they weren't able to buy a ticket at the station, consequently meaning they are going to ask less people on the train for tickets.
Also, penalty fares may work effectively on Manchester Metrolink when there is at least one ticket machine per stop. However, if someone tries to exit the Merseyrail system without a ticket and they say they boarded at Capenhurst they can't be charged a penalty (as Capenhurst is unstaffed) even if they boarded at a staffed station.
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