I DON'T use the local rail network that much but my recent experience of the frustration that can be caused by the authority's inflexible ticketing operations hardly encourages me to patronise it unless I have to.

On Monday, I arrived at Bush Hill Park station to catch the 7.44am service to Seven Sisters, my final destination being King's Cross. I found that the roller shutter door was down, having become damaged during Sunday night.

Not having any coins for a pass ticket, I opted to catch the train anyway and sort things out at Seven Sisters.

On arriving there, I was allowed through the gates adjacent to the ticket office, the lady obviously being aware of the problem at Bush Hill Park. Now the real problems started.

I asked the ticket clerk for a return from Bush Hill Park to King's Cross. This was not possible, he advised. He could only issue me with a single Bush Hill Park to King's Cross or a single Bush Hill Park to Kings Cross and a return to Seven Sisters. I explained that I was not keen on wasting time queuing up again that evening at King's Cross or Seven Sisters and repeated my request. He insisted that I could only have what he had stated and I asked him why the ticketing arrangements were so unhelpful and inflexible. He made it quite clear that I could ''like it or lump it'' so I then asked for a single Seven Sisters to King's Cross. This seemed to be like a red rag to a bull and produced such an aggressive and unhelpful approach that I decided to save the queue behind me and myself yet more aggravation and accept the situation.

It is totally absurd that such illogicalities in the ticketing system exist but if that is what we are up against then perhaps next time a similar situation arises I will just ask for a return from Seven Sisters to King's Cross and not be honest in asking for ticketing from my local station - the clerk would have been none the wiser had I done so.

ADRIAN SIMMONDS,

Queen Anne's Place,

Bush Hill Park,

Enfield.