by Kay Lockett
Commuters can now use their pay-as-you-go Oyster cards on all overland trains in
Wandsworth. Beginning on Saturday, January 2, London’s entire overland rail network
became part of the Oyster scheme. Transport for London has invested £40 million in
Oyster card infrastructure across the rail network in preparation for the London-wide
roll out. A consistent London-wide payment system will mean an end to confusion over
fares and reduced queues at station ticket offices.
Oyster cards were previously available at all Tube stations and more than 2,200 Oyster Ticket Stops. Across London this figure has now been increased to almost 3,800 outlets, an increase of over 75%. In addition to Tube stations in Wandsworth there are now 134 shops selling Oyster. There are now more local shops than ever before across our borough where you can pop in and top up your Oyster card, which means even more of us can enjoy the cheaper fares and value for money that Oyster offers.
It is also great news for the small businesses across London that will benefit from the increase in custom generated through selling Oyster.
Oyster facts:
. Oyster remains quick and easy to use. For example, with Oyster pay as you go you can place £10 on your Oyster card and when you touch in and out at the yellow readers with your card on the Tube, DLR and London Overground the reader automatically deducts the correct fare. On buses and tram customers only need to touch in.
- The Oyster card has been a huge success since its introduction across the Transport for London network in 2003. There are now over 6 million cards in active use saving passengers time and money. 38 million journeys are made each week using Oyster.
- Oyster is also available online, over the phone via 0845 330 9876 or at Travel Information Centres across London. You can find your nearest Oyster Ticket Stop through the TfL website.
- A refundable £3 deposit is required for a Pay-As-You-Go Oyster card but the money saved by switching to Oyster can cover this in just one day's travel. Passengers can also register their card so that the money is protected if the card is lost or stolen.
- Passengers can store up to three different Travelcards or Bus Pass season tickets and cash to "Pay-As-You-Go" on the same Oyster card at the same time.
- Oyster cards are also used to provide free travel for Londoners aged over 60 or with an eligible disability through the Freedom Pass scheme and, on the buses and trams, under 18s in full-time education in London can also get Oyster photocards for free travel. Under 11s travel free on all services at all times.
- Many more passengers can pass through a Tube station gate line using an Oyster card compared to those using printed tickets - 40 a minute compared to 25 a minute.
- Oyster is generally the cheapest way to make single journeys in the Capital.
- An Oyster card can store up to £90 of credit, which can be used to pay as you go, plus your Travelcard or Bus & Tram Pass.
- It can be used on bus, Tube, trams, DLR, London Overground and some National Rail services in London.
The campaign to extend Oyster to London’s railways was launched by former mayor Ken Livingstone in 2006 and has taken three years to push through because of different smart card systems used by train companies.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, Transport Secretary, Andrew Adonis, and the Train Operating Companies serving the capital confirmed last week that the hundreds of thousands of passengers who travel on National Rail services within Greater London will be able to use Oyster pay as you go from 2 January 2010.
This follows agreement between Transport for London (TfL) and the Train Operating Companies, including South West Trains, to extend Oyster pay as you go to all National Rail routes within Greater London, zones 1-9, that currently accept Travelcards.
Thousands of residents in Hounslow, Merton, Kingston, Richmond and Wandsworth will now be able to use Oyster pay as you go to travel from their local South West Trains station and then seamlessly hop onto TfL services. Oyster will be the only ticket Londoners need to get around.
South West Trains serves 44 stations in the boroughs of Hounslow, Kingston, Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth, including Clapham Junction and London Waterloo. Passengers who use South West Trains to travel within Greater London each day are set to benefit from quicker, easier and more convenient ticketing. The extension of Oyster pay as you go to National Rail services in London will also benefit those who travel around the Capital for work, business or pleasure including passengers who use Wimbledon loop services operated by First Capital Connect in south west London.
The announcement of the extension of Oyster availability was made at Balham station
where a limited trial of
Oyster pay-as-you-go is providing an important opportunity
for live testing of the system. Passengers are able to use Oyster pay as you go on
Southern Services between Balham and London Victoria, which benefits passengers who
use Balham, Wandsworth Common, Clapham Junction and Battersea Park stations.
The expansion of Oyster on National Rail will double the number of stations where Oyster pay as you go is accepted and lead to a significant increase in people who can use pay as you go.
Passengers are recommended to register their Oyster card so that the money is protected if the card is lost or stolen, this can be done online at: www.tfl.gov.uk./oyster
How do I get an Oyster card? You can get one:
At Oyster Online
At Tube station ticket offices
At Oyster Ticket Stops across London
At London Overground station ticket offices
At some National Rail ticket offices
At London Travel Information Centres
By phone on 0845 330 9876 (call charges apply)
Oysterisation will truly transform travel in London.
