Matthew Dickinson wrote:
Just got my oystercard statement, and it has changed to include a box
for auto-topup status, which suggests that this may be launched
sometime soon.

That's very interesting. There's a similar 'auto-refill' system
available on the new easyMobile Pay-As-You-Go mobile phone network,
where when you're balance falls below £2 then it is automatically
topped up by a preset amount from your stored credit/debit card.

Obviously if an Oyster auto-topup system is implemented, then the new
balance would only be loaded to your card when you passed through the
gates at your nominated Tube station, as happens at present when you
top-up your card online.

As well as being useful for some travellers, if an auto-topup system
was introduced this would add to the potential appeal of Oyster as an
e-Money system, as it'd ensure that Oyster card holders never ran out
of credit when they want to buy a newspaper/pint of milk etc.

TfL press release on the potential Oyster e-Money scheme:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/press-cent...nt.asp?prID=14