Negotiations to secure the roll-out of Oyster pay as you go on network rail services involved officials from Transport for London, representatives from the train operating companies and the Department for Transport.
Completing the Oysterisation of the rail network was a kay manifesto commitment of Mayor Boris Johnson during 2008’s election. Transport advisor Kulveer Ranger said City Hall was “pleased to see that it has been a huge success.”
TfL say passengers using Oyster pay as you go pay the lowest fare “in nearly every case”. Fares are set by train operators and differ from those set by TfL.
David Mapp, Commercial Director at the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC), said: “Six months on from the launch, everyone involved has been very pleased with how well the Oyster PAYG roll-out has worked.”
Responding to publication of the figures a spokesperson for passenger watchdog London TravelWatch said: “The convenience that Oyster offers us, naturally, proved a huge attraction for passengers. We pressed for Oyster to be available on rail for many years, and its unsurprising that its proved so popular. However, we would still like to see more retail outlets for Oyster and more rail companies committing to selling Oyster products more widely.”
