Transport For London Oyster Rip Off

trinidadone

Did anyone see the report on London Tonite news programme last month concerning Transport For London rip off Oyster Card?

Passengers who use a PAYG Oyster Card touch into the barrer of a London tube station. A passenger may go to a plaform, discover there are cancellations or delays from the monitor and exit the station without traveling. To leave the station customers must "touch out".

Customers find that TFL have deducting money off Oyster cards, as if customers have traveled, how bad is that? Seems like TFL have made millions from unsuspected customers.

A spokesman came onto the programme from TL and reported new software will be installed on the Oyster system in November, so check your card regular.

I have stopped using my card, and have asked for a detailed list of all my journeys. I have no faith in the system at all.

All comments/thoughts/experiences greatly encouraged.

reehsetin

how often does that happen though? really? usually if there is a real problem with no trains you find out before you reach the platform/touch in,

trinidadone

well the programme mentioned TFL have netted millions. Some people may see a freind off on the platform, decide to change their journey, forget something at home etc.

I think your view point of looking at how many times is not the answer. The fact that is happons at all is more serious, and esp as this is a money saving expert site, its vital this is mentioned.

didi_nodebt

Was it a slow news day, this same news story came up early last year and there was a news report about it and TFL did explain that there was a time limit ie if you went on the platform and changed mind or found your train wasnt running and turned round if you were within the time limit think then it was 2mins you were not charged, after initial the programe they increased the time limit but dont think its over 5mins not sure now.

It always baffles me when news stations re harsh these old items, what are they trying to achieve, at the end of the day even if you go over the time limit and you get charged as long as you can prove you have only been on the platform and no where else you will get your money back?????

TFL make money out of this is because millions of people do not ask for a refund, or don't know that they can walk out within a certain time and not get charged.

At the end of the day if you stop using your Oyster card you pay more in travel fares which is a case of cutting your nose to spite your face...that is unless you now use a bicycle or walk everywhere then many many green stars to you.

dzug

So you are prepared to pay double the fare because 1 time in 20 or so you might be wrongly charged - which you can claim back anyway

Advice - get a sense of perspective. Don't believe all you see on TV/read in the papers.

Anyway, what would have happened if you had bought a ticket and done the same thing? The barriers would have either swallowed it or invalidated it when you left. You would still have had to (try) to claim it back

trinidadone

I cant answer if it was a "slow news day" forgive me if I come across harsh, but i dont care if there are two minutes, five mintes of half an hour time limits, the factthat Transport for London are charging their own customers to enter and leave the same station is day light robbery.

While I accept TFL may give refunds, the vast majourity of customers dont monitor each and every travel destination. My beef with TFL is this should not be happoning at all. Its like going into a supermarket, planning on buying some milk, changing your mink, leaving and being charged on the way out. TFL should not be charging customer thats the bottom line.

In regards to my travel arangements, I am using the car only because I dont have faith in the oyster card system.

In regards to paying for a card and changing my mind, this is something different.

dzug

Lee_Dunford wrote: »

In regards to my travel arangements, I am using the car only because I dont have faith in the oyster card system.
.

I'd suggest you start practising walking now. In a few years there will be road pricing and that smart device on the dashboard of your card ain't going to be perfect and I doubt if you will have 'faith' in it. And I suspect 'refunds' will be a lot more difficult than from tfl.

In any case if you are rich enough to use a car in London (particularly central London - though you haven't said you go there) Oyster prices really ought to be of no concern to you. Just buy an annual gold card or whatever it's called.

trinidadone

dzug wrote: »

I'd suggest you start practising walking now. In a few years there will be road pricing and that smart device on the dashboard of your card ain't going to be perfect and I doubt if you will have 'faith' in it. And I suspect 'refunds' will be a lot more difficult than from tfl.

In any case if you are rich enough to use a car in London (particularly central London - though you haven't said you go there) Oyster prices really ought to be of no concern to you. Just buy an annual gold card or whatever it's called.

dzug, I think you have missed the point completely as to why I posted in the first place

Nikolai

Lee_Dunford wrote: »

Its like going into a supermarket, planning on buying some milk, changing your mink, leaving and being charged on the way out. TFL should not be charging customer thats the bottom line.

I quite agree, if you go in there for some milk and leave them your mink, they should pay you!

morg_monster

I think TFL are reasonable... if you didn't get on the train and there were delays, you just go back to the ticket office and get a refund. Even if you are in too much of a rush to do it right then, you can do it any time in the future. There's really no problem with this, they are happy to do it. And it's not a big secret, most people who use oyster regularly are well aware of this and I've seen station attendants point the fact out to people when there are major delays! Like someone else said, I don't know how journalists get so much mileage out of a non-story like this!

I cant answer if it was a "slow news day" forgive me if I come across harsh, but i dont care if there are two minutes, five mintes of half an hour time limits, the factthat Transport for London are charging their own customers to enter and leave the same station is day light robbery.

If you get on the tube for even one stop, and then realise you forgot something, and go back, you SHOULD be charged in my opinion, you've used the service, its not TFLs fault you're a muppet....

And if someone gets on the tube, travels halfway across london to give something to their friend, they handed it over the barriers at the other end without tapping out and went back the way they came, they shouldn't be charged? And btw, I've seen this happening more than a few times in my few years of travelling by tube every day.

I just can't help but feel there are more important things you could be channeling your indignation into when it comes to getting around London!!

trinidadone

morg_monster wrote: »

I think TFL are reasonable... if you didn't get on the train and there were delays, you just go back to the ticket office and get a refund. Even if you are in too much of a rush to do it right then, you can do it any time in the future. There's really no problem with this, they are happy to do it. And it's not a big secret, most people who use oyster regularly are well aware of this and I've seen station attendants point the fact out to people when there are major delays! Like someone else said, I don't know how journalists get so much mileage out of a non-story like this!



If you get on the tube for even one stop, and then realise you forgot something, and go back, you SHOULD be charged in my opinion, you've used the service, its not TFLs fault you're a muppet....

And if someone gets on the tube, travels halfway across london to give something to their friend, they handed it over the barriers at the other end without tapping out and went back the way they came, they shouldn't be charged? And btw, I've seen this happening more than a few times in my few years of travelling by tube every day.

I just can't help but feel there are more important things you could be channeling your indignation into when it comes to getting around London!!

I think you are going else where with this one, If you look at the original post it was about TFL charging customers when they have not traveled anywhere. Most people are not aware that they are charged when touchin in and out of the same station without traveling. Secondly the issue is not if TFL issue refunds, its the point that TFL steals money of travellers oyster cards.

We all agree traveling one stop back and fourth on the tube should be charged, but again thats not whats being disputed. As for "channeling indignation" this is money saving expert.com, it seems very reasonable to highlight to people that TFL take money of Oyster cards when no traveling has been made. I am really sorry you have got hot under the collar with this, but i feel it is important to highlight a system which charges you for something you have not received.