incorrect oyster charging on new London Overground circular route

katejo

I regularly use the London overground between Walthamstow Queens rd/Gospel Oak and also round to Stratford with no problem. Today, for the first time, I took the route from Highbury and Islington round to Denmark Hill. I have an annual season ticket for zones 1-3 on my Oyster but I was charged for my outward journey and my return. I can't see any reason for this as I was well within these zones for the whole journey. I definitely touched in at the beginning and end of both journeys.

cosmojohnson

Check your journey history online once it's available (probably tomorrow) and see what you were charged and why. If it was wrong you can call the Oyster helpline and they are usually pretty good at issuing refunds.

thelawnet

With a z 1-3 season, you would have no reason to be charged for this journey, either before or after Overground, so sounds like a tap in/out error. Check your card online and then call them

chuckley

i think theres issues with routing since the overground extension. someone else got overcharged as the system 'assumed' a more expensive route...

katejo

chuckley wrote: »

i think theres issues with routing since the overground extension. someone else got overcharged as the system 'assumed' a more expensive route...

On my return I went from Denmark hill to gospel oak via high bury and islington . Definitely touched in and out but was charged about £1.20. Must be to do with crossing south as I have never been charged for going to Stratford

katejo

thelawnet wrote: »

With a z 1-3 season, you would have no reason to be charged for this journey, either before or after Overground, so sounds like a tap in/out error. Check your card online and then call them

I have now spoken to the refunds dept. The situation is incomprehensible. Apparently, for the purpose of a journey from Walthamstow queens Rd. to South London, the Queens rd station has been classified as being in Zone 4 not zone 3! The default route is supposed to be from Walthamstow Central to Highbury and Islington and change to Overground there. The only way to avoid the extra charge is to touch on a route validator at Highbury.
I will get my refund this time but I think that others will lose money due to similar loopholes elsewhere.

totallybored

katejo wrote: »

I have now spoken to the refunds dept. The situation is incomprehensible. Apparently, for the purpose of a journey from Walthamstow queens Rd. to South London, the Queens rd station has been classified as being in Zone 4 not zone 3! The default route is supposed to be from Walthamstow Central to Highbury and Islington and change to Overground there. The only way to avoid the extra charge is to touch on a route validator at Highbury.
I will get my refund this time but I think that others will lose money due to similar loopholes elsewhere.

This seems a bit of a con by tfl. Their map clearly shows Queens Road as being in zone 3. I thought those route validator things were only if you were avoiding zone 1 so you would be charged the cheaper fare. As you have a 1-3 ticket that shouldn't matter though.

chuckley

what a scam!!!

they basically dont want to update their system.

katejo

totallybored wrote: »

This seems a bit of a con by tfl. Their map clearly shows Queens Road as being in zone 3. I thought those route validator things were only if you were avoiding zone 1 so you would be charged the cheaper fare. As you have a 1-3 ticket that shouldn't matter though.

Exactly what I thought. I live right by the Queens Rd station and there is a big sign to say that it is in zone 3. I didn't want to get annoyed with the man on the refund phone line as I think he fully understood my argument but he said that this station was labelled zone 4 on their system. He conceded that there were plenty of previous journeys on my card which showed this station as being in zone 3 as it should be. I have travelled to Stratford via Highbury and Islington several times without touching on the validator and I wasn't charged so why should it be any different when I take the new link to South London?

Tomorrow I am going to ask staff members at my station if they are aware of this.

totallybored

katejo wrote: »

Exactly what I thought. I live right by the Queens Rd station and there is a big sign to say that it is in zone 3. I didn't want to get annoyed with the man on the refund phone line as I think he fully understood my argument but he said that this station was labelled zone 4 on their system. He conceded that there were plenty of previous journeys on my card which showed this station as being in zone 3 as it should be. I have travelled to Stratford via Highbury and Islington several times without touching on the validator and I wasn't charged so why should it be any different when I take the new link to South London?

Tomorrow I am going to ask staff members at my station if they are aware of this.

Does the system think you went the other way from Queens Road and changed at Barking? That might explain a zone 4 fare if its actually quicker to go to Barking and then back west to the orange overground line? That could be the reason to use the validator at H&I.

wealdroam

OP, I would consider asking your question here...

http://www.oyster-rail.org.uk/

The guy who runs that site is very knowledgable about all things Oyster.
I am sure he will be able to answer your query.