On Jun 9, 8:40*pm, Paul Corfield wrote:

On Tue, 9 Jun 2009 12:07:12 -0700 (PDT), Mizter T
wrote:

On Jun 9, 7:55*pm, wrote:
I talked directly to SWT and TFL and the mayors office today and both
TFL and the mayors office say Oyster will be valid. *SWT are adamant
they will be refusing them except on the advertised routes and said
they were expecting numerous complaints but that the agreement was as
described in newsrail express and Southeastern agree. *I'm waiting for
SWT to try to penalty fare someone for using Oyster as per the
incorrect National Rail and TFL instructions!!!

How interesting - there seems to be a direct disagreement between TfL
and at least some of the TOCs on what this agreement constitutes then.

This is the text from newsrail express (as posted on another non usenet
group)

Industrial action affecting London Underground services - 9th to 11th
June 2009

As you may be aware, the RMT Union has called for its members employed
by London Underground (LU) to take industrial action for 48 hours from
1859 on Tuesday 9th June.

"London Underground will be issuing revised ticketing and refund
instructions as soon as possible - please disregard the previous
instructions that we (ATOC) were supplied that appeared here yesterday.

Important: It should also be especially noted that Transport for
London/London Underground are advising customers that Oyster PAYG is
being accepted on all National Rail services in Greater London. This is
not what has been agreed with the Train Companies. PAYG will only be
accepted on 'reasonable alternative' routes, these being determined and
advised locally by each TOC.

In the meantime staff should politely advise customers enquiring about
Travelcard refunds or PAYG charges to contact London Underground
Customer Services on 0845 330 988 or the Oyster help line on 0845 330
9876 as appropriate."

-------

Ouch. As I said, a "direct disagreement" Not ideal, to say the least.

I wonder if this is perhaps more Boris & co's doing - I wasn't
thinking that beforehand, but we know he's keen on what he calls
"Oysterisation" and I can perhaps imagine him and his City Hall
advisers wanting to put across a simple message and be a hero of the
strike breaking London commuters - so I wonder if word has come down
from the Mayor's office to TfL that overrules any objections on the
'Oyster PAYG on NR' message - leaving the TOCs to simply having to
accept it as a fait accompli, having had their hand successfully
forced by Boris/ TfL?

Regardless of who's at fault here, once this strike is over you can be
sure as hell that this agreement between TfL and ATOC/ the TOCs will
be revisited in great detail.


I am sure I have read somewhere that Heathrow Express most certainly are
*not* passing LUL ticket holders or PAYG users during the strike.

OK, thanks. So FGW/ HC from Paddington to Hayes & Harlington, then bus
from directly outside the station to Heathrow it is then!