On Mar 5, 7:30*pm, Paul Corfield wrote:

much cut


IIRC there will not be any additional TOC station Oyster retailing so
even though PAYG will expand it will not be retailed via TOC ticket
machines - that was certainly the plan a long while ago and hence why
the Oyster Ticket Stop network was doubled in size to get outlets close
to stations. *If there has been any change on this front then it will
add timescale risk because of machine and software mods, testing and
commissioning etc on assets that have to keep working. *At least with
gates and validators it's either a software mod or a physical install of
something that is switched on later.

Does this mean that ticket offices will start selling newspapers and
crisps?

Seriously, a location at or near a station gives a shop loads of
business. If the customers wanting newspapers and crisps can't get
served because the shop is now filled with the ticket queue, the shop
will go out of business.

I don't think that there are many Oyster Ticket Stops right at
stations for that reason. Everyone wanting to top up will have to go
in two directions instead of just going to the station. The TOCs will
have to sell Oyster; I can't see any alternative.