On 13 Dec, 12:44, Paul Corfield wrote:
On Sun, 13 Dec 2009 12:04:46 GMT, "Steve Dulieu"

wrote:

"Paul Corfield" wrote in message
.. .
I think I will start a campaign to have validators installed on trains
so I don't have to get off at the boundary point (one of your big
complaints!). *Thought you might find that a little amusing.

I think a campaign to get a PAYG purse enabled on our staff passes might be
a better idea. Is there any reason why one couldn't?

I broadly agree. The same issue was raised a while back in respect of
the Freedom Pass and it was rejected. I am not sure as to why and I am
not familiar with the card data structure. *Under the old magnetic
structure you couldn't have a permit and a season ticket encoded on the
same stripe. *However a Smartcard has far greater capacity and
capability but of course all issuing and reading devices would have to
be able to cope with a combined staff and public card. I suspect the
cost at this stage would utterly outweigh the benefit when people can be
advised to just hold a second Oyster card.

--
Paul C

I believe that the issue with Freedom Passes is that they are "owned"
by the London Boroughs that issue them, and e-money directive issues
then arise with TfL "owning" the PAYG credit.

The easiest way to solve the staff pass issue would be to create
another discount level of fares (similar to the 16-17/New Deal fare
levels), with TfL-only journeys set at £0.00, loadable onto an
ordinary Oyster card.

However, the issues with this would be:

i) staff having to touch in and out on each journey

ii) staff being reminded not to use National Rail intermediately for
journeys starting AND finishing at TfL stations