wrote:
No there won't as there are special facilities built into the entire
system to deal with emergency situations. These have been enhanced to
add new functionality as part of the software developments to support
this change to pre-pay arrangements.

No it doesn't.

On Saturday there was a "one under" at Camden Town which, coupled with
planned engineering work, took out a major part of the Northern Line.
Despite the "software developments" Pauln refers to, it took 3 or 4
people around in the NOC working flat-out over 45 minutes to make the
necessary changes to gate settings at all the stations so-affected.

Could be solved by allowing ticket desk staff to refund the card on exit
when it has gone tits-up - but apparently they cannot do that. Amazing
what prepay allows you to get away with.

wrote:
and believe me there's director-level meetings going on regarding this
farce!

Love to be a fly on the wall.

On Thu, 23 Nov 2006 00:42:13 +0000, stevo
wrote:

Paul Corfield wrote:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6161498.stm

"Passengers are being warned to use their Oyster Cards correctly or face
paying more for their journeys.
From Sunday, if passengers do not touch the electronic smartcard on the
reader on entry or exit to a station, they could be charged up to £4.

The cost of not doing so could rise to £5 if journeys are started or
ended at certain national rail stations.

Transport for London said if the card is not scanned it does not know
the correct fare to apply."

How to confuse absolutely everybody. I've already seen people looking
very confused when they have heard the announcements and read the
posters about the change to pre-pay only rules. Shame no one has made
that distinction in the publicity.

I don't know where you work in LU, but it seems to me that there is also
a belief that oyster cards never fail. I had one card that worked
flawlessly, however since moving from a pass to pre-pay I chose to work
down the balances of other cards I have for visitors, so I ended up on
the third, this was notoriously unreliable. On Sunday I had had enough
and asked for an exchange, it was explained to me that I was not using
it properly, it was explained back that the I was well aware how to use
them and this one specifically did not work. Again I was told I was not
listening - this went on for a bit the queue got larger LU employee did
not care and refused to exchange. So I had to change tack, "I would like
to return this card and get my deposit back" - apparently there was a 50
deficit, okay I'll take 2.50, I can even give you 50p and you can return
me £3 - cue two LU staff not having a clue - me getting bored ask can
the see the £3 deposit, they could, in which case give me £2.50, take
the card and sort out the paperwork when the queue has died - only until
I suggested that they were clearly taking the mick, there was no reason
they could not do what I suggested that no doing so was hardly "customer
service" including the rest of the queue did they do so.

Point of story - Arrrrrrrrgh back to LU, a simple request met with
jobsworth ****e and lack of willingness to be helpful is LU all over.
Did I mention the rammed train of sardines being held "To regulate the
service", to the drivers credit, he did say he had radioed the line
controller to point out the ridiculousness, at which point we did move
only to be held a station later to regulate the service. So line
controller have no memory or are just crap.

Stop whinging about the media, sort out your own shop - the attitude
that it is not your job but someone elses is rife in LU - pass the buck
and screw the passenger.

LU is a disgrace, northern line still ****e now because of a problem at
5pm FFS.

Tell me something good about LU this week - or STFU about how you are
reported.

If you had read what I had written I was being critical of the
information that was put out by TfL / LUL. I was not criticising the
BBC. I have been consistently critical of the lack of proper
information. It is why I have posted a long and detailed explanation of
Oyster operation elsewhere in this group.

I post here as me but tell people who I work for on the basis of being
open. I don't come here to be sworn at no matter how fed up you are with
the service - you are probably at the same level of "fed up ness" as I
am with the Victoria Line this week. Yes, we (LU employees) use the
service too and get just as delayed as everyone else.

As you have not identified the station and time when your problems arose
I have no ability to refer the matter or forward your complaint to
someone who might be able to do something about it. If it was last
Sunday then the only possible comment I can make is that that is when
the new rules came into force and staff would be finding their way with
them. That doesn't excuse you being mucked about but might seek to
partly explain your experience.

--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!