Oyster Top Up at SWTrains Stations

[RaynesParker]

Transport Minister Theresa Villiers said on 12 Nov 2010:

“Today I am delighted to announce that all ticket machines for South West Trains in the London area network will be fitted with equipment to sell Oyster top ups, making it easier for passengers to pay."

We were also told at the same time "Thanks to an agreement between the Government and South West Trains passengers will be able to top up their Oyster cards at all stations operated by South West Trains in the London Travelcard area from May 2011.".

I can see no sign of this at Raynes Park station! Does anybody know what is causing the delay? As we are "stuffed" here in SW London after the local newsagents are shut and we need an immediate top up!

Thanks

 

[dzug2]

Transport Minister Theresa Villiers said on 12 Nov 2010:

“Today I am delighted to announce that all ticket machines for South West Trains in the London area network will be fitted with equipment to sell Oyster top ups, making it easier for passengers to pay."

We were also told at the same time "Thanks to an agreement between the Government and South West Trains passengers will be able to top up their Oyster cards at all stations operated by South West Trains in the London Travelcard area from May 2011.".

I can see no sign of this at Raynes Park station! Does anybody know what is causing the delay? As we are "stuffed" here in SW London after the local newsagents are shut and we need an immediate top up!

Thanks

There's something on their website to the effect their contractors have let them down and there is an indeterminate delay.

 

[Clip]

There's something on their website to the effect their contractors have let them down and there is an indeterminate delay.

Aye i read this.. I must say putting in the new TVMS or adapting the newer ones to accept Oyster is not an easy task.

 

[Mojo]

This article was in the Standard the week before last:

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23953766-commuters-face-delay-on-oyster-top-up.do

 

[bb21]

I can see no sign of this at Raynes Park station! Does anybody know what is causing the delay? As we are "stuffed" here in SW London after the local newsagents are shut and we need an immediate top up!

Are you not able to top up online at TfL website?

 

[causton]

"Immediate" - not overnight (or is it 1 day + 1 night? I forget...)

 

[MikeWh]

"Immediate" - not overnight (or is it 1 day + 1 night? I forget...)

Indeed, online topup is available from 0430 on the day after ordering, provided the order is confirmed before 2300.

My suggestion is to set up auto top up. It only tops up when you start a journey with a balance below £8 and you get an email a day or so later confirming that top up has taken place. This can act as a reminder to check your journey history to make sure nothing has gone wrong.

 

[SWT_USER]

I doubt SWT are too bothered, it took them years to begrudgingly accept Oyster PAYG at all!

 

[swt_passenger]

I doubt SWT are too bothererd, it took them years to begrudgingly accept Oyster PAYG at all!

But if you research into this you find that in their renewed franchise SWT were contracted by DfT to fit ITSO technology - so they did. This was on the basis that TfL would have made Oyster ITSO compatible in the same timescales. All this was detailed in the online franchise agreement at one time, naturally it has since been 'redacted'.

DfT were naturally talking rubbish, so basically SWT ended up as the only London area TOC with every TVM fitted with readers set up for ITSO.

I definitely wouldn't lay all the blame at SWT - apparently for quite a while DfT wanted the Waterloo gateline to be ITSO, which it was when NR first installed it... :roll:

 

[wibble]

But if you research into this you find that in their renewed franchise SWT were contracted by DfT to fit ITSO technology - so they did. This was on the basis that TfL would have made Oyster ITSO compatible in the same timescales. All this was detailed in the online franchise agreement at one time, naturally it has since been 'redacted'.

The DfT were supposed to fund making Oyster card readers compatible for ITSO. In typical government fashion, they pontificated over making a decision and SWT have ended up receiving all the flack for DfT indecisiveness....