In message
, Mr
Thant writes

It's poor design choices caused by poor absolute requirements (eg it
would work a whole lot better if journeys in London were flat rate).

Given the size of London, though, a flat rate would be grossly unfair.

And I'm not too clear about the dearth of Oyster retailers. I live in a
part of London that's not served by the tube, but there are 9 Oyster
ticket shops within a few minutes' walk, including one adjacent or very
close to almost every bus stop in the local vicinity. But bus usage in
inner SW London is heavy, so I can imagine that some areas are less well
served.

--
Paul Terry