Why no vending machines selling water?

[ess]

They make a big deal about taking bottles of water with you on the tube which is, of course, very sensible.

So why aren't there any vending machines on the platforms selling bottles of water? There used to be Cadbury machines at one point I seem to remember.

Rip off mind

 

[jon0844]

Those selecta machines regularly mess up, dither due not being loaded properly or various vandalism/theft attempts. And if (sorry, when) you lose your money, you have to leave a message on an answer phone and despite giving your details, will probably get nothing.

I've reported three incidents and never received a penny. Only once did I get anything and that was years ago.

To be honest, I don't know why I ever wait a while and then try again thinking the machines will work.

The only ones I'll use are the better ones at places like Westfield that also take contact less cards. They seem to work all the time, and I expect I wouldn't get charged if it didn't dispense my item.

Better off buying a bottle from a shop with a real person before travelling, thus keeping said shops in business too.

 

[Kite159]

Also not to mention buying from a shop would probably be cheaper than buying from a vending machine.

 

[bb21]

I did get a refund cheque from Selecta when one of its machines at uni ate £2 and I was also given some money towards my expenses claiming for the refund. That said I did doubt afterwards whether it was worth spending all that time chasing them up on the phone. Luckily I used my office phone rather than my mobile for a 0845 number (before the days of saynoto0870).

 

[jon0844]

Also not to mention buying from a shop would probably be cheaper than buying from a vending machine.

Unless it's WH Smith. In which case, I'd rather collapse from dehydration.

 

[Tubeboy]

The tube phased out chocolate machines in 2007/8, due to a couple of fires and the then current MD Tim O Toole wanting to reduce 'platform clutter'.

 

[tsr]

The tube phased out chocolate machines in 2007/8, due to a couple of fires and the then current MD Tim O Toole wanting to reduce 'platform clutter'.

They still have them on the Overground, though - for example, at the top of the escalators at Rotherhithe. So it can't be a general TfL-branded-transport-wide policy.

(Yes, I know LU & LO are separate entities entirely.)

 

[Antman]

I've heard people saying that tube staff have been giving people free bottles of water if passengers need it. Personally I always carry a bottle in the hot weather anyway.

 

[JaJaWa]

TfL have signed a three year deal with Evian to provide free water to tube customers http://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/news-articles/free-water-on-the-tube. In return the adverts telling you to carry a bottle of water are now Evian branded.