"Jaime" wrote in message
...
I commute into the London on SouthWest Train's and buy a variable length
season ticket (usually about 10 weeks) which includes zones 1 - 6 travel.
Does anyone know when/if I will be able to be issued with an oystercard
for
the part of my journey in Central London.

Not in the near future I should think. TfL is introducing Oystercard readers
and issuing facilities at all stations (Overground & Underground) and on all
Buses within Greater London. (presumably they will also provide the TOCs
with portable validators for suburban services). Thus Londoners can use one
Oystercard for all their travel requirements.

However, TfL have no interest in introducing the equipment outside the
Greater London boundary (except on the Tube & buses which run outside where
subsidy arrangements are already in place), and the TOCs aren't going to
fork out to equip stations & staff outside London unless they are forced to.


Also why arn't the national rail companies starting to take up this
technologie, as it seems to be a good way to reduce ticketless travel
without increasing delays to travellers whilst checking their tickets.

Capital Expenditure. It would cost them greatly to install / modify barriers
at all their stations (and man the barriers), equip their ticket offices,
supply staff with validators, buy ticket stock, pay for comms links, pay for
maintenance etc. etc. etc. The benefits for a TOC are much less than for an
integrated transport provider in a large built up area (where the
concentration of passengers makes it much more worthwhile on a per station
basis).

I suspect the best you will be able to do is buy a normal card season ticket
to the 'edge of Zone 6', then a seperate Oystercard 6 zone ticket for travel
inside London.


Thanks

Jaime


Colin