TFL bus routes not accepting Oyster

saajan_12

I've noticed some classic looking buses in Central London which don't accept Oyster, and the driver says its a £2 charge for the bus. These are on normal TFL bus routes, which I've travelled before at the £1.75 fare, on Oyster as usual, eg route 15 as the most recent example. 

I haven't gone far enough to check but I suspect this means they also aren't going to sync well with the hopper fare and daily capping either. They also seem indistinguishable from normal buses on the indicator boards at bus stops. 

My question is whether this is allowed and why? Passengers would naturally plan journeys based on using these buses, and are then left with the choice of paying more (and losing out on hopper savings if its part of a longer journey) or waiting for another normal bus, thus delaying your journey. 

DullGreyGuy

The Heritage Routemasters (eg the T15 route) are not run by TFL or in contract with them hence why they dont accept Oyster, have different pricing and dont form part of the hopper fair. The Route 15 which are modern buses are TFL

No part of the TFL network has the old route masters (nor the bendy bus) any more, route 15 was the last one that did but it stoped several years ago a private company started the T15

Genka

I have the same question and it is not very clear. I live in London and I have been showing the city to many friends, always on the old bus 15, always for an oyster fare. Last time I did was a month or two ago. Yesterday we were all charged because Oyster was not accepted. The girl who was selling the tickets couldn't explain how and why. Is there somewhere where we can check if this is official change or not? 

martindow

As DullGreyGrey said above the heritage route is now a private operation with fares to match aimed at the tourist market - £7.50 a head.

https://londonerbuses.co.uk/heritage-route-t15/

surreysaver

saajan_12 said:

I've noticed some classic looking buses in Central London which don't accept Oyster, and the driver says its a £2 charge for the bus. 

The driver? Or the conductor?

Genka

We were charged £2.50 pp. It doesn't make any sense to me as everyone is saying different and I can't find official information online.

t0rt0ise

Genka said:

We were charged £2.50 pp. It doesn't make any sense to me as everyone is saying different and I can't find official information online.

Somebody has given the websitelink above. It's now run by a private company. £2.50 for a single journey, £7.50 for a day ticket. You can only buy the day ticket online although the single ticket price is given in the FAQ. Sneaky of them.

clive_p

I'm pretty sure I have used this route 15 with Routemaster buses and they did accept a national bus pass to give me a free journey.  I guess they are required to do that under the legislation, but I can't find anything on their website to confirm that.  It is bizarre that they don't accept Oyster cards, as lots of other private operators do e.g. the boats along the Thames.

martindow

clive_p said:

I'm pretty sure I have used this route 15 with Routemaster buses and they did accept a national bus pass to give me a free journey.  I guess they are required to do that under the legislation, but I can't find anything on their website to confirm that.  It is bizarre that they don't accept Oyster cards, as lots of other private operators do e.g. the boats along the Thames.

I think this must have been some years ago when TfL were operating a service on part of route 15 using Routemasters.  At that time Oyster and bus passes were accepted.

Once it became privately run, those companies set the fares as previously discussed.

MilesT6060842

Private companies like Thames Clippers can work with TfL to accept Oyster as a concession (TfL may have forced this as TfL owns the piers).  

It is probably the case that any public bus that is registered to run a "bus route" under a certain mileage has to accept ENCTS age/disabled passes or can chose to in return for a subsidy (but probably not London 60+ pass), although I'm not sure how the open topped tourist buses would be exempt (maybe not getting subsidy). 

Express coaches (longer distances routes) are different legislation and cant get any subsidy.  (The interesting odd one out is Flightline 730/731 in from Heathrow to Basingstoke which is split into two route numbers where the vehicle travels onwards so they can get subsidy in the way a coach route can't, and are choosing to honour the £3 capped fare as well as accepting ENCTS passes).