Tom Anderson wrote
On Mon, 15 Sep 2008, Simon wrote:

On Mon, 15 Sep 2008 06:24:51 -0700 (PDT), Boltar
wrote:

On Sep 15, 10:18 am, Walter Briscoe
wrote:
On Sunday morning, about 08.00,I was on a 21 to Lewisham at
London
Bridge/Monument. A passenger boarded and tried to pay with a
twenty
pound note. The driver had no change and nor did other
passengers. The
passenger was made to get off the bus. I was horrified and
complained,
this morning, at 0845 300 7000. The stop is not "Pay before you
board".
It seems the operator should have issued a pay later chit.

company for this service? The shop is open even if it exists?
Perhaps
the bus company should give the drivers a reasonable float, after
all
they do trust them with cash.

There still has to be a backup scheme for when the float runs out. I
recall it was mentioned on this NG that ? BAA had to cause
representations to be made to the Chinese official travel agency
because they were giving their customers only £50 notes.

And debit card Cashback has made shops part of the UK money
transmission system. I got 10x£1 coins from Sainsburys prior to a visit
to a laundrette


I agree that passengers should try to have the correct money but
sometimes plans fail.

This is, to my mind, a major hole in the payment arrangements for the

buses, and i believe i've ranted about this before. The problem is
that

Perhaps the "pay later chit" should be required to be issued only if a
one day bus pass is bought so the customer can collect their change at
no further cost.

You're even stuffed if you have an oyster but no credit, because
there's
no way to add credit to an oyster card outside station opening times.
I've
been in a pickle trying to get home late at night on more than one
occasion due to this.

Auto top-up and top-up at a Oyster Ticket stop are also available
"outside station opening times"

--
Mike D