London Banter - View Single Post - Blue is the new Pink

Dave Arquati · August 28th 05, 10:59 AM posted to uk.transport.london

wrote:
(Benefits that will be much more beneficial when National Rail is eventually
fully incorporated into the Pre Pay system, but that will only happen
when the train companies stop dragging their feet.)

We had a visit from TFL to show some new things in their Journey
Planner (I write for a technology magazine) and they said they had
offered to pay and install all the equipment for all the TOCs (in fact,
the person was as frustrated as me because he commutes using Southern,
and therefore can't even use an Oyster himself!). He says everything is
ready to go, but I do wonder if there's a little bit more to it than
that?

I understand the TOCs are worried about losing money, but there must be
other reasons? In the long run, they will lose anyway because once it's
clear to many people (more than a handful of people here and there)
that it's cheaper to buy an Oyster season and then 'tag on' a simple
station-station return on top with the TOC, they'll be losing out big
time.

AIUI the delay is not due to equipment installation but more that zonal
fares would need to be rolled out across the TOCs before introducing
Prepay - otherwise the system would become rather complicated.

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