On Feb 15, 11:11*pm, Mizter T wrote:
On 15 Feb, 21:35, MIG wrote:
On Feb 15, 9:19 pm, Mizter T wrote:
MIG wrote:
Why oh why oh why won't they just sell reasonably-priced extension
tickets to people who can show a paper ticket/travelcard for part of
the journey? *The punishment cash fares for not using Oyster won't
teach them any kind of lesson apart from not to use the Underground.
The whole point of the pricey paper ticket fares is, as you well know,
to move people off paper tickets and onto Oyster. Offering "reasonably-
priced extension tickets" to those with paper Travelcards is hardly
compatible with that aim.
If you do wish to avoid Oyster then one way making Tube journeys
beyond your Travelcard's zones is to buy a zones 2-6 Day Travelcard -
this costs £4.80 off-peak (i.e. after 0930). This is obviously cheaper
than buying 2 x £3 single extension fares on paper tickets (the £3
fare would cover all Tube journeys except those beyond zone 6 on the
Met line).
I do however quite disagree with your notions about the "punishment
cash fares" - I think that charging the 'max cash fare' does indeed
strongly get across the message that one needs to touch-in and out for
each and every journey. It's a bit harsh but I'd suggest it is
effective. I've had it happen to me - I was indeed annoyed when I
realised it had happened, but since then I've always been careful to
touch-in and out. I've heard similar stories from others, and it
hasn't led them to be despondent about the Oyster system as a whole
I think it's worth acknowledging the difference between being punished
for not touching in/out and being punished for renewing a travelcard
in south london on the day when the Oyster machine is broken (or there
isn't one).
I'm not quite sure where this broken Oyster machine might be, as it
can't be at a south London railway station as they don't exist at
these stations, primarily because you can't use Oyster PAYG on rail
routes in south London.
Unless of course it is the one at Lewisham you're referring to - where
there is indeed a single machine, presumably for the primary benefit
of DLR passengers who wish to top up their Oyster PAYG, though of
course of significant secondary benefit to those who want season
Travelcards on Oyster. If that is the one then yes, I have indeed
noticed that it gets sick more than any others - perhaps simply
because, whilst under cover, it is effectively outdoors...
I have used that one at times. Also, having intended to use it, had
to get a paper travelcard (you can't really suggest leaving the
station, which has no adjacent shops, looking for an Oyster Stop,
rather than just going to the counter for a paper one).
In the last few weeks I was there and the counters had just started
dealing in Oyster. I haven't bought anything at Lewisham since then
though. On the day I saw notices informing people of it, the whole
lot was closed.
OK, well I have a number of solutions for someone in this boat.
The solutions involve assuming in advance that the machine won't work
(in this case). There's something not quite right about that.
First off is renewing one's season earlier than the day it is needed,
or the day before it is needed - and this can be done at all
touchscreen Tube ticket machines (like the one at Lewisham). I can't
remember what the timescale is for renewing a season Travelcard, or
indeed buying a new one, but you can do it something like two weeks in
advance, if not more - whilst I think the machines only offer start
dates within the next week, you can get more flexibility if you buy it
from a Tube ticket office (or possibly from a newsagent - see below).
Secondly is renewing one's season Travelcard at a newsagents that
deals with Oyster (a so called "Oyster Ticket Stop" - what used to be
called a pass agent). Loads of newsagents and convenience stores offer
this, and again you can do it in advance (not sure how in advance, but
I imagine it would be at least a week) - though whether they will take
a card payment for this is up to them, especially on a busy monday
morning!
Thirdly, a sophisticated method - buy it online or on the phone and
having it electronically 'sent' to an LU, DLR or London Overground
(LO) station of choice, so you can pick it up there - you do this
simply by touching-in or touching-out as appropriate. Again this can
be done in advance of the expiry of the old season Travelcard, and if
done online then you can set it up to send you a reminder email x
number of days before your current Travelcard expires.
This method would require you to travel on LU, DLR or LO for at least
part of your commute - for example, Orpington to Canary Wharf via
Lewisham would take you on the DLR between Lewisham and "the Wharf".
If you buy in advance using this method it will be available to be
'picked up' from your nominated station up to 5 days before its
commencement - and when you do successfully pick it up I think you
then get sent an email to confirm this.
Here is the 'oyster help' answer that deals with this:https://transportforlondon.custhelp....rtforlondon.cf...
or via http://tinyurl.com/2ezuvs
All the above methods require a bit of advance planning - though with
the third method you can benefit from a reminder email which is
helpful. I understand that not everyone is always that organised - I'm
certainly capable of fantastic/absurd feats of disorganisation -
however, these methods are are there if people want to make use of
them
I do understand that there are ways in which someone in South London
who knows what days they need a travelcard for in future could get it
put on their Oyster in advance.
I just don't see why going to a station from which you are starting a
journey, in order to get or renew a ticket for that journey, requires
any level of disorganisation or should be treated with contempt.
There are reasons why people find themselves in possession of a paper
travelcard. I don't think there's any moral justification for the
hassles they then face if they then need to do something like go one
zone extra on LU one day. It's not like they pay any less for it.