On 10/10/2014 15:10, Neil Williams wrote:

On 2014-10-10 13:22:40 +0000, Mizter T said:

Scenario 1: I don't have a bank account, because no-one will give me
one on account of my past misdemeanours. How do I travel around London?

A pre-paid debit card. I expect these will become more common. I
didn't say abolish it now, I said a 5-10 year horizon. Maybe by then
mobile phone tickets will have made an inroad?

The prepaid contactless card I have doesn't work on TfL - I imagine
because one could use it to run up a debt on it, given the lack of
online authorisation (this is even though in this case - Orange Cash -
they do verify who you are). FWIW, I got it out of curiosity, and for
other contactless transactions it appears that an online authorisation
is indeed done each time (hence it's not quite the 'wave and go'
experience the adverts make out!).

Perhaps this might all change, or a limited amount of fraud might be
accepted given that, for instance, bus ticket machines are much more
'online' now than they used to be (so misused cards could be blacklisted
sharpish).


Or you use cash at a ticket machine to obtain a paper ticket, or a
vastly simplified electronic "book" of day or single tickets, or
something similar. If Oyster is only left with edge cases, it could be
vastly simplified to become more similar to the kinds of smartcard
system that have been implemented commercially by regional bus operators.

A ticket machine where? In what was once the local Oyster Ticket Stop?

This "vastly simplified Oyster" system doesn't sound so simple to me.
Made more sense how it used to work...


Scenario 2: I am an 11 year old child. How do I travel around London?

Free, isn't it? The cheapest option may well be to extend that to the
Tube, and provide an easier means for non-Londoners to obtain Zip cards,
perhaps at a nominal fee.

No, it's not free. 5-10 year olds travel free with accompanying adults
on the Tube and other TfL rated services (DLR, LO, some NR services on
the TfL tariff), but on many NR services children 5+ have to pay.

The thought of a 7 year old travelling on the Tube unaccompanied by an
adult might shock some, but when they're with their 14 year old sibling
it makes rather more sense.


Scenario 3: I've lost my debit card. How do I travel around London?

As #1 part 2. (You've got other issues if you've lost your debit card -
quite likely you've also lost your cash as well...)

You might well have a backup Oyster card at home, or one you can borrow
from someone. (Have you never left your debit card out of your wallet
having bought something online?!)

Meanwhile...
Scenario 94: I have a contactless card but I don't have enough money in
the bank - perhaps I might be able to use it for a journey, but that'll
put me into unauthorised overdraft territory and my journey home will
cost rather more than two or three quid.