On Sun, 19 Nov 2006 14:59:42 -0000, "Steve"
wrote:


"Paul Corfield" wrote in message
.. .
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.

Of course, there will be major problems when the next 7/7 type emergency
happens and a station has to be evacuated. Normally in such cases the gates
are all opened to ease egress, but how many PAYG Oyster customers will stop
to make sure they won't lose out on a fiver, thereby causing mass blockage
at the gates?

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.

Next question.
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!