What’s wrong with this poster?

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I made a return trip to Gatwick yesterday to see my son off on a plane. Obviously I didn’t want to line GTR’s pockets (or the DfT) more than I had to so I touched out and back in at East Croydon each way while changing trains.  On the way back I noticed a poster advertising Oyster/contactless at Gatwick.

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Gatwick Capping Changes

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As if the inconsistencies with pricing along the line between Merstham and Gatwick Airport weren’t already bad enough, it looks like TfL have completely ripped up the rule book with regard to contactless capping once you venture south from zone 6 at Coulsdon South. This means that since May 16th some part-time commuters have seen their daily fares rise by 27%, without any warning at all.

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Authorised User CPC cards

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I’d actually forgotten about this issue until I recently came across mention on the TfL site explaining that you can link authorised user cards to an online account.  Originally there was a problem where the name on the card did not match the name that the bank statements were sent to.  I had tried to … Read more

Zonal fares will be simplified

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Yes, this was a lame attempt at an April Fool.

So, last night I spent an hour or so in The Albert pub on Victoria Street. While I was there I was joined by a press officer from TfL, whose headquarters are next door.  The conversation inevitably drifted towards the incredibly complex fare structure in the zonal area and what might be done about it.  I have to say I was quite stunned by what I learnt.

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Oyster at Swanley

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Swanley will accept Oyster and contactless from Wednesday 9th March 2016.  Like Dartford it will be in zone 8 and use the fare scale.  I have added Swanley to the Oyster Fare Finder.

Oyster’s Zones Are Full

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I’ve been doing quite a bit of research in an attempt to fully understand the fares for the Gatwick extension of the Oyster system.  The results are nearly ready for publication, but in the meantime I have come to the conclusion that the current Oyster system is full.  What do I mean by this?

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New Oyster Fare Finder

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I am delighted to be able to launch an alternative to the TfL Single Fare Finder. It is linked at the top of the Fares Guide page, or you can access it here. Like the TfL version you enter two stations, but that’s where the similarity ends. The results page contains all the different fares … Read more

The 32% cap increase

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So I received a call from TfL today which confirmed my fears about the part-time worker refunds for zones 4-6 for railcard holders.  They have been abolished.  This means that young (under 26) and disabled workers using zone 6 who last year enjoyed a cap of £5.90 if all their travel was after 0930 now … Read more

Most Expensive Oyster Journey?

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You might be thinking something like Amersham to Shenfield which is £11.00 in the peak time, or perhaps you’ve remembered that Gatwick Express now uses Oyster and charges £19.80 single.  They’re both good guesses and neither can be beaten with a single paper ticket, but the Gatwick Express one is more expensive than paper if … Read more