Oyster PAYG on National Rail

[John @ home]

On 18 February the Fares & Ticketing Committee of London Travelwatch reviewed the roll-out of Oyster Pay-as-you-Go (PAYG) on National Rail. In general, both Transport for London (TfL) and the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) reported that the launch had been smooth, operational difficulties had been resolved quickly and the system is very reliable. But a number of issues remain.

1.6 million journeys a week are being made by Oyster PAYG on National Rail, but this is only one sixth of all Oyster PAYG journeys. Rail PAYG revenue has risen from £1 million a week at the end of December to £2.7 million a week in mid-February.

1. Oyster Extension Permits (OEP)

An OEP is needed when a card holder has both a Travelcard season ticket and Pay-as-you-Go credit on their Oyster card and wishes to travel from a station within the validity of their Travelcard season ticket to a station within the Travelcard zones but not within the validity of their Travelcard season ticket. Effectively, the OEP is an electronic permit to travel. It can be obtained at an Oyster-enabled ticket machine and costs nothing until the journey takes place. An OEP is not needed for the same journey in the opposite direction.

If the journey is made without an OEP, and the card holder touches in and out, then the correct fare is charged. If the card holder touches in but not out, or vice-versa, the maximum Oyster fare (£6 peak, £4.30 Off-Peak) is charged. If the card holder does not touch in or out, they are not charged. In all these cases, the holder is liable to a Penalty Fare if challenged when outside the validity of the season ticket.

London Travelwatch strongly opposes OEPs. The Chair has written to the MDs of all train companies.

The reputational risk to you as an operator is incurred because of the fact that without such a permit any Travelcard holder will be liable for a Penalty Fare if inspected between their zone boundary and final destination within the London Travelcard area. Perversely if travelling from outside their zone to their Travelcard boundary then a permit is not required. We believe that passengers will see this at worst as highly unjust and at best as an example of small print designed to catch out the unwary with additional charges, particularly as in most cases they will have sufficient credit on the Pay As You Go part of their card.
http://www.londontravelwatch.org.uk/document/4053/get pages 6 and 7

TfL reported that only 3% of people who should load OEPs onto their card are doing so. But a lot of people who do not need OEPs are loading them. TfL reported that Penalty Fares on this issue are not yet being enforced. ATOC said that they have been at pains to suggest to train companies that they should adopt a softly softly approach in the initial stages. Despite this, London Travelwatch have received a complaint where a passenger with a Zone 1-6 Travelcard season ticket on their Oyster card failed to touch in when travelling within these zones and received a Penalty Fare. It appears that to issue a Penalty Fare in these circumstances is contrary to the guidelines. The complaint is not yet resolved.

The issue of OEPs was raised on 12 February at the summit meeting of the Mayor of London with the train companies.

ATOC responded by saying that OEPs were introduced to minimise a potential fraud risk, that ATOC think they remain the least bad solution, that they will continue to monitor usage and will decide whether to continue OEPs by June 2010. London Travelwatch said the OEP policy won't work if there's only a 3% take-up.

2. Incomplete Journeys

TfL presented charts showing the number and proportion of PAYG journeys which are incomplete and incur a charge of the maximum Oyster fare. Some 150,000 Underground (LUL) and/or Docklands Light Railway (DLR) journeys a week and some 100,000 Rail journeys a week are incomplete.

In the first week of Oyster PAYG throughout National Rail in London, 8% of Oyster PAYG rail journeys were incomplete. This has now fallen to 6%. Less than 2% of LUL/DLR journeys are incomplete. The higher proportion is to some extent due to fewer National Rail stations having ticket barriers.

 

[yorkie]

London Travelwatch strongly opposes OEPs...

Good, and so do I.

Totally unenforceable, and the statistics are even worse than I thought they might be. Good - that should seal the nail in the OEP coffin.

It's disgusting that anyone tried to implement this ridiculous system. Who is responsible for the idea, the loonies at ATOC?

What happens if someone has a Z1-6 Travelcard and wants to go to Amersham?

Despite this, London Travelwatch have received a complaint where a passenger with a Zone 1-6 Travelcard season ticket on their Oyster card failed to touch in when travelling within these zones and received a Penalty Fare. It appears that to issue a Penalty Fare in these circumstances is contrary to the guidelines. The complaint is not yet resolved.

Disgusting. How on earth can anyone charge a PF to someone who has a valid ticket? Also why did this person not refuse? I would most certainly have refused to accept a PF. Do we have any more information on this? I'd like to tell whatever TOC did this what I think of them.

2. Incomplete Journeys

TfL presented charts showing the number and proportion of PAYG journeys which are incomplete and incur a charge of the maximum Oyster fare. Some 150,000 Underground (LUL) and/or Docklands Light Railway (DLR) journeys a week and some 100,000 Rail journeys a week are incomplete.

In the first week of Oyster PAYG throughout National Rail in London, 8% of Oyster PAYG rail journeys were incomplete. This has now fallen to 6%. Less than 2% of LUL/DLR journeys are incomplete. The higher proportion is to some extent due to fewer National Rail stations having ticket barriers.

And perhaps also due to more 'out of station interchanges'?

Was the issue of the so-called daily cap not really being a true cap discussed?

If they refuse to properly honour the 'cap' system then they should give people the opportunity to load a One Day Travelcard onto Oyster.

The fact that they do neither indicates to me that they are deliberately and fraudulently attempting to gain a financial advantage by deceiving people into believing that they are capped, when really they are not capped. I believe that an investigation should be launched and the people responsible should be prosecuted for misleading customers and attempting to defraud them.