Elephantstrunk

Just after new penal fares for London public transport users who want to pay in cash were announced my Oyster card stopped working. I asked if I could have my card replaced. I could but only after filling in a form and showing some proof of identity. Why? I had the dead card. However I was reassured that I could reclaim any fares I shouldn’t have had to pay so off I went. Two journeys later and ten pounds poorer I queue again to see the same woman at the station. She grudgingly accepts my claim but of course does not have a wallet for my new Oyster card. and when I come to reclaim my fares tells me that I must fill out another form and that I can only reclaim tube fares from her and must right to the bus companies to reclaim those fares. I don’t have time to do that immediately so I take the new form and go and consider the prospect of reclaiming bus fares from three different bus companies. I also notice that the small cash balance was not restored.

First. If the UK’s photocard driving licence scheme had been designed by someone who had to account for their actions I wouldn’t have had this problem. I would have had my driving licence and could have replaced my card immediately. As it is I would happily carry the card in my wallet but I don’t have space for the sheet of A4 we must keep with it. That is one

As a Londoner it will become very expensive not to use an Oyster card but it they are not amazingly reliable and the process for reinstating the card is time consuming and possibly expensive. That is two.

Life would also be much simpler if I could carry my Oyster card in my wallet but I can’t because my pass for work operates on the same system. That is three.

My plan and one that I commend to other Oyster card users is to have a spare with a small amount of credit stored on it. Unfortunately £10 is probably the minimum but it will save a lot of hassle and if you have any problems with your main card you will be able to sort it out at your leisure.