TUBE and train travellers are on track to hand £60M in over-the-odds fares to Transport for London this year, thanks to mistakes at Oyster card ticket barriers.
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When those barriers don’t work properly, are left open or where the card isn’t swiped accurately, Oyster cards do a version of “computer says no” and charge the maximum possible fare of £6, no matter what the journey.
Often, the user is none the wiser until and unless they read their Oyster statement online.
In 2010, Oyster card penalty charges of this type have raked in £5M a month and are projected to clock up £60M over the course of the year.
One measure that would lessen Oyster over-charging, says the independent London TravelWatch group, is to have more staff at stations to help with barrier gremlins.
“The figures show that the problem is huge,” Travelwatch’s Jo deBank told the Evening Standard.
“Ultimately we’d like to see stations gated and staffed wherever possible.”
The problem for TfL is that they are currently in the middle of an ongoing dispute with two unions – the RMT and TSSA – over plans to slash staff levels at stations.
Perhaps not surprisingly, TfL elected to pass the blame for the missing Oyster money onto overground rail companies.
“TfL continues to urge the train operating companies to increase the number of barriers on their stations,” said a TfL spokesperson.
Both London TravelWatch and TfL had advice for passengers worried they might be among the unlucky throng to have been overcharged.
“Always check your Oyster statement!” said deBank, while TfL advised passengers to “contact the Oyster Helpline” where “automatic refunds will be arranged by TfL”.
That Oyster card helpline number is: 0845 330 9876.
