Graham J wrote:
I assume it is too much to expect this to mean that one fare would allow
unlimited travel for an hour (the way many continental systems work) but

we

will see yet more complexity added to an already over complex system?

(some systems, I think Berlin, now explicitly disallow a return journey

for

the one fare, even if within the hour)


It seems to me that once you start having tickets with certain time limits
on them (e.g. single tickets on Tramlink being valid for 90 minutes from
issue) this has to be the way you go.

What is the situation with tickets issued from kerb side ticket machines in
the central London pay before boarding area and at stops served by bendibus
routes? Presumably they must have a time limit on them. Are they also only
valid from the stop they were issued from? What is the mechanism to stop
them being presented more than once or isn't there one?

The time limited ticket has many advantages but also some disadvantages.
For example, the continental cities where they are used may well have
more reliable systems than London; your 90 minute ticket may expire
whilst you are stuck on the Tube, which would upset the ticket holder
greatly as the circumstance is beyond their control.

On Oyster it might be possible to extend the time limit from certain
origins when delays are reported, but that would require some
complicated logic and relies on delays being reported accurately.

The disadvantage of Oyster is that you can't see what's on your ticket;
if you don't know the expiry time, then it can be hard to make an
interchange choice mid-journey if you don't know when your ticket expires.

I like TfL's idea of discounts for Tube-bus or bus-Tube through
journeys, but it may be difficult to implement. There would have to be a
limit on the time allowed for a bus journey to a Tube station, and a
limit on the time allowed to catch a bus after getting off the Tube.

--
Dave Arquati
Imperial College, SW7
www.alwaystouchout.com - Transport projects in London