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London Oyster users 'charged more' to travel in capital | London Oyster users 'charged more' to travel in capital |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Oyster card users are paying almost £100 more for weekly travel on London's transport network compared with contactless card users, research shows. | Oyster card users are paying almost £100 more for weekly travel on London's transport network compared with contactless card users, research shows. |
London Assembly Member Val Shawcross said a discrepancy had arisen between pay as you go (PAYG) Oyster cards and contactless bank cards. | London Assembly Member Val Shawcross said a discrepancy had arisen between pay as you go (PAYG) Oyster cards and contactless bank cards. |
While Transport for London (TfL) has introduced weekly caps on contactless cards, only daily caps apply on Oyster. | While Transport for London (TfL) has introduced weekly caps on contactless cards, only daily caps apply on Oyster. |
TfL said: "The same fares apply to both contactless and Oyster." | TfL said: "The same fares apply to both contactless and Oyster." |
Analysis from the Labour party found passengers using PAYG fares travelling between zones 4 and 7 during peak-time seven days a week would pay £121.20. | Analysis from the Labour party found passengers using PAYG fares travelling between zones 4 and 7 during peak-time seven days a week would pay £121.20. |
Passengers travelling between the same zones but using contactless would spend £29.40. | Passengers travelling between the same zones but using contactless would spend £29.40. |
Similarly, commuting through zones 1-4 on a seven-day basis would cost PAYG commuters £68.40 while contactless payment users would be charged £45. | Similarly, commuting through zones 1-4 on a seven-day basis would cost PAYG commuters £68.40 while contactless payment users would be charged £45. |
Mayoral 'promises broken' | Mayoral 'promises broken' |
Ms Shawcross said: "Boris Johnson has repeatedly said that Oyster would always be the cheapest way to travel but that simply isn't true. | Ms Shawcross said: "Boris Johnson has repeatedly said that Oyster would always be the cheapest way to travel but that simply isn't true. |
"When Boris Johnson launched contactless he could have chosen to add weekly caps to the Oyster card. | "When Boris Johnson launched contactless he could have chosen to add weekly caps to the Oyster card. |
"Instead he purposely chose to give contactless card users a better deal, despite almost half a million Londoners not having a bank account let alone a contactless card." | "Instead he purposely chose to give contactless card users a better deal, despite almost half a million Londoners not having a bank account let alone a contactless card." |
A TfL survey found only 26% of Londoners had made a payment with a contactless card and, according to Ffrees Family Finance, 440,000 Londoners do not have bank accounts and would be ineligible for contactless payment cards. | A TfL survey found only 26% of Londoners had made a payment with a contactless card and, according to Ffrees Family Finance, 440,000 Londoners do not have bank accounts and would be ineligible for contactless payment cards. |
Transport for London's director of customer experience Shashi Verma said: "The same fares apply to both contactless and Oyster. | Transport for London's director of customer experience Shashi Verma said: "The same fares apply to both contactless and Oyster. |
"Contactless provides the convenience of Monday to Sunday capping, giving customers the same fare as is available to Oyster customers who buy a weekly Travelcard or bus pass. | "Contactless provides the convenience of Monday to Sunday capping, giving customers the same fare as is available to Oyster customers who buy a weekly Travelcard or bus pass. |
"If a customer uses contactless for a week within zones 4 to 7 they will get their fare capped at £29.40. | "If a customer uses contactless for a week within zones 4 to 7 they will get their fare capped at £29.40. |
"If a customer buys a weekly Travelcard on their Oyster card for zones 4 to 7 they will also pay the same fare of £29.40," he added. | |
"We are looking at introducing weekly capping on Oyster when the current technology can be updated. | "We are looking at introducing weekly capping on Oyster when the current technology can be updated. |
"This is a complex process as it requires changes not only to the card readers but also to our back office and retailing systems." | "This is a complex process as it requires changes not only to the card readers but also to our back office and retailing systems." |
Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon said Oyster card users should "never be penalised". | Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon said Oyster card users should "never be penalised". |
She said: "Over 15 months ago the mayor made a specific commitment that a weekly cap on Oyster pay as you go would start from 2015. | She said: "Over 15 months ago the mayor made a specific commitment that a weekly cap on Oyster pay as you go would start from 2015. |
"It is time that the mayor finally honoured that commitment and ensured that the cheapest fares truly can be obtained using Oyster." | "It is time that the mayor finally honoured that commitment and ensured that the cheapest fares truly can be obtained using Oyster." |