There have been some new developments over the last month or so concerning the rollout of contactless PAYG across the Southeast. Most importantly there has been confirmation that the next 49 stations are ready to go live in December (contained in section 8.7.6 of this report). These refer to the lines coloured light blue on the map on this site. It probably needs to be 50 now though, since Beaulieu Park near Chelmsford opens at the end of this month. And yes, I need to add it to the map too.
Furthermore, there have been sightings of new validators appearing at some of the other stations on the grey lines on the map. This seems to indicate that the DfT are still progressing the rollout. New validators have been spotted at Leatherhead and West Byfleet, and there has been also been changes to the validators at Harlington. Furthermore, a planning application for Tunbridge Wells station (a listed building) has been lodged setting out where validators will be needed by the night gates.
If anyone spots any further instances of new validators appearing, please do drop details in the comments.
The Rail Forums thread about Oval also mentions Clandon and Horsley (in post #1530) getting new validators.
Bakerloop 1
Is this service a normal bus route or is it part of the Bakerloo Line.
If its part of the Bakerloo Line then underground fares should apply all the way to Lewisham
Swiss Cottage [Z2] to Elephant and Caste [Z1/2] Adult peak fare £3-50. Do you then add another £1-75 to Lewisham.
If it were a full underground route then surely the fares would be £3-50
If you paid with Oyster the through fare should be able to deduct the BL1 part
That’s an interesting conundrum. The reality is that it is a bus and bus fares will apply in the normal way. There is no precedent for linking a bus fare to a train fare, so it would require a lot of software development to make it happen. I think the best that could happen is an adjustment a day or so after the journeys were made. I can see the merit in further cementing the relationship between the bus and the Bakerloo line, but it would be a loss of revenue where people hadn’t already capped.
The driver behibd the Bakerloop is Sadiq Khan, so maybe write to him.
It’s now official – Beaulieu Park is on the National Rail list of stations that are being added to the PAYG system.
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/travel-information/timetable-changes/
Email about new validators from SWR this evening listing the following stations as being upgraded over the next few months:
Stations where these upgrades are taking place:
• Addlestone
• Bookham
• Byfleet & New Haw
• Chertsey
• Clandon
• Claygate
• Cobham & Stoke D’Abernon
• Effingham Junction
• Esher
• Guildford
• Hersham
• Hinchley Wood
• Horsley
• London Road (Guildford)
• Oxshott
• Walton-on-Thames
• West Byfleet
• Weybridge
• Woking
• Worplesdon
I understand SWR will also install new validators at all stations between Virginia Water and Reading, so it seems London-Reading on contactless PAYG will no longer be limited to the GWML in due course – a year out, perhaps?
That will be good when it happens. I’m thinking that the ones mentioned earlier (Surbiton to Guildford, Weybridge to Virginia Water and Bookham) will probably be in the next phase, but still handy to know that Ascot hasn’t been forgotten.
Looks like they’re updating the list daily!
Here’s today’s instalment for completeness.
We’ve now confirmed the full list of stations where upgrades are taking place:
• Addlestone
• Ascot
• Bookham
• Bracknell
• Byfleet & New Haw
• Chertsey
• Clandon
• Claygate
• Cobham & Stoke D’Abernon
• Earley
• Effingham Junction
• Esher
• Guildford
• Hersham
• Hinchley Wood
• Horsley
• London Road (Guildford)
• Longcross
• Martins Heron
• Oxshott
• Sunningdale
• Walton-on-Thames
• West Byfleet
• Weybridge
• Winnersh
• Winnersh Triangle
• Woking
• Wokingham
• Worplesdon