On 07/09/10 17:32, Ivor The Engine wrote:

So how would this situation be treated:
I and a colleague travelled from Euston to Richmond. I have PAYG, he
has a Z1-2 season.

Outward journey from Euston on Overground, via Willesden Jn. Touched
in at Euston, £1.30 PAYG for colleage indicated on exiting Richmond
station.

On the return journey, just missed Overground so caught the first
Waterloo train, changing at Vauxhall. Colleague charged £1.50 on
exit. As we didn't decided to use NR until the last minute, should my
colleague have tried to set an OEP for the return?

No. When your colleague touched in at Richmond, this would have
initiated a PAYG journey, since Richmond is outside his zones - so no
need for an OEP.

If you'd used NR on the outwards journey he would have needed an OEP,
though. That's because touching in at Euston wouldn't normally start a
PAYG jouney since it's within his zones - the OEP makes sure that it does.

Basically NR are worried about people touching in within their zones and
then leaving the system at an ungated NR station without touching out -
therefore never having touched an Oyster reader outside their zones and
hence not paying for their journey. What the OEP does is force the
system to use the normal PAYG rules even if you start your journey
within the zones; in that case (i.e. with the OEP) the normal PAYG rules
would apply and he'd be charged a maximum fare if he failed to touch out.

-roy