Sam wrote:
"tkd" wrote in message
...
A quick question regarding the need for photocards with Oysters.
I have an Annual Oystercard and accompanying Gold Record Card. I also
have a very old photocard which used to be used when I would get a
monthly paper season ticket.
Yesterday at Liverpool Street station (LU side) I was stopped by a
non-uniformed ticket inspector, she went through all my tickets and said
I needed a photocard with my Goldcard. She was very very persistant that
I needed one. I asked if you still needed one with Oystercards, which
she replied of course you do.
I went through my wallet and found my old photocard used for purchasing
paper LU season tickets, which she reluctantly accepted. She spent ages
scanning my Oyster and looking at the various tickets in my ticket
holder. Hence I missed my connecting train (Very tight transfer time I
know), however I don't think my Oystercard is related to my photocard in
any way.
I spoke to various staff at different stations today who all said "you do
not need a photocard with a Oystercard". Ready to make a complaint, I
just spoke to a Revenue Protection Manager on the phone who covers
Liverpool Street who was rude to say the least. He said you must have a
photocard with an period Oystercard, and that the Inspector was right and
I was wrong.
Obviously I did'nt take it further as he implied he knows everything
about tickets. Setting aside the fact the inspector was very rude, was
she correct ?
Any thoughts .....
When they first launched Oyster card for annual seasons (sometime in
August 2003 I think it was) I had to supply my photocard number. Sometime
after that they changed the rules so you do not need a photocard with a
normal adult Oyster. This photocard number continued to appear on my
online oyster account for that card for some time after that, but it
appears to be no longer on there. Other Oyster cards registered after this
date had "XXXXX" or something like that in the photocard field. Where an
Oyster card needs a photocard (such as a student discount) it is
physically part of the card. i.e. the Oyster card and the photocard are
the same thing.
I, and other people I know, have been told a variety of crap from NR staff
regarding Oyster including:
1) Oyster loaded with season tickets are not valid on National Rail
(Silverlink)
2) Oyster pay as you go not valid on sections of NR where it is valid
(Thameslink Farringdon-London Bridge)
3) Gold record card required to be carried or Oyster-charged season is not
valid, despite the record card displaying "NOT VALID FOR TRAVEL". (c2c)
You can take whatever they say with a pinch of salt.
This wasn't NR staff though. This was LU Revenue Protection staff, not only
the female doing the checks, but also her manager who I spoke to on the
phone. Neither of them knew / were aware that you no longer required a
photocard with an Oyster.
I spoke to LU customer services who have e-mailed me the relevent web link.
Any idea who to address my letter to ?
Wow, so not only did the LU Revenue Protection Inspector (RPI) who
hassled you not know the rules, her boss didn't know the rules either!
I can believe this happening with RPI staff working for a train
company, but I'm pretty surprised it's the case with an LU RPI, and
shocked that the LU manager doesn't know what their talking about.
You can submit failry specific complaints via the online feedback
form...
https://www.tfl.gov.uk/tube/contacts/form.asp
....but I think in some situations such as this sending a letter has
more force to it. Send it to:
Customer Service Centre
London Underground
55 Broadway
London
SW1H 0BD
(found on
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tube/contacts/)
I'm sure you know this already but I'll say it anyway - include as much
detail as you can - the date, the time, the RPIs name if known/ if not
perhaps what they looked like, the precise location where you were
checked, what number you called to complain, and the name of the
manager that you spoke to, and perhaps include your Oyster card number
as well as your details.
It sounds like you've been treated shabbily by people who should know
better - do come back to utl and post a follow up when you get a
response.