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Don't go south of the river if you want to use your Oyster
Ross Lydall, City Hall Editor8 Feb 2008
Train passengers in London are experiencing a "north-south divide" because of the failure of private rail companies to accept pay-as-you-go Oyster cards.
The pay-as-you-go version of the smartcard can be used at almost 100 stations north of the Thames - but only five overland stations south of the river.
London transport commissioner Peter Hendy said it was "nothing short of scandalous" that firms such as Southern and Southeastern continued to delay the introduction of all forms of Oyster.
At present, overland passengers can only use Oyster - widely used on Tubes and buses - if they buy a season ticket for a period of at least a week.
But passengers who make only occasional journeys prefer pay-as-you go. This means that people travelling in south London, where mainline rail services provide the bulk of connections, are discriminated against.
With pay-as-you-go only accepted at five south London stations - London Bridge, Elephant & Castle, Clapham Junction, Richmond and Kew Gardens - it also means passengers are paying different fares to those using the Tube.
Permitted use of the card in north London increased dramatically in November when the former North London line, now London Overground, passed to Transport for London's control.
Mr Hendy said it was unlikely the system would be fully rolled out in south London until next January, two years behind schedule: "We are still in negotiation with the train operating companies. We are getting to the point at which their prevarication is becoming irritating."
In north London, pay-as-you-go can be used on c2c and Chiltern, and at some stations served by First Capital Connect, London Midland, and One. South West Trains and First Capital Connect have committed to installing Oyster readers next year. The Association of Train Operating Companies refused to comment.
Reader views (6)
I have been caught out this morning at Waterloo. and am £20 poorer. No excuses were accepted , no reasoning listened to. I had no intention of evasion. Infact I thought I had paid when I entered the system at Richmond on my Pay-As-You-go-Oyster (an unfamiliar journey for me) through the barrier there. I was as guilty as a barrier jumping hoody, as were the dozen or so other suited commuters tricked by the system standing patiently in line behind me. I don't give a fig for the structure of the different train companies. I just want to get to work. This is nothing short of entrapment. The bitter irony of the jobsworth revenue collectors uttering "I'm only doing my job" underline's so much what has gone wrong in this country.
- Adrian Philpott, London, 19/12/2008 11:19
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I had two faulty Oystercards. LT advised me to go to my local underground station to get a new one. I live in Orpington and am nowhere near an underground station. LT customer advisor had never heard of it. Need I say more? I'm going to travel by car from now on.
- Tania, Kent, 12/10/2008 15:54
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Well done Boris - good to see your making headway.
- James, Bexley, 12/05/2008 15:16
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South Eastern continue to up fares, cut services ...and when you do complain you feel as though you have achieved nothing in doing so.
Oyster cards south of the river? I wouldn't bank on it.
- David, London, 11/02/2008 10:40
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As with most North Londoners, we feel that south of the Thames is a different country. Beware, " there be dragons"
- Jon, Edgware, 08/02/2008 16:00
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It's quite absurd that a pay-as-you-go customer has to travel from (say) Waterloo to Wimbledon via Earls Court on the District line. It's further, slower, and adds to zone 1 congestion, but the train company wants to charge him more for less. Incidentally Winbledon already has Oyster readers, but they won't accept pay-as-you-go, they're a nasty trap so travellers who didn't know the rules get charged a penalty fare if they arrive at Waterloo rail station.
- Nigel, London, 08/02/2008 13:51
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