On 12 Dec, 14:26, Paul Corfield wrote:
On Fri, 11 Dec 2009 08:17:42 -0800 (PST), John B
wrote:

I think you are making a bit too much of the negative aspect and
conflating two issues. *The agreement to adapt TOC vending machines to
retail PAYG is a sudden but very welcome change. *I suspect it has come
from a very sudden realization that all hell will break lose on 4/1/10
when people want to use Oyster and can't get a card or add value at a
TOC station. *All of that business walking down to the road to TfL
Ticket Stops is a step too far and possibly one that the DfT refused to
compensate TOCs for. *That SWT is outside of this agreement at the
present time is a big negative given the sheer size of their network
south of the Thames. It is perhaps related to their ongoing dispute with
the DfT about their franchise terms - does anyone know what is happening
on that? *Wasn't it going to the industry recognized adjudication
process?

OEPs is a separate issue and I think it's clear that this concept is
unpopular with people even though there is an evasion risk associated
with travelling beyond zonal season availability into PAYG territory.
What is not clear is whether the modified TOC vending machines will
retail PAYG *and* also set OEPs as part of their upgraded functionality.
If that is the case then it avoids people having to seek out TfL
ticketing facilities to set OEPs before they travel out of zone -
assuming a start in TOC territory and within the validity of a
Travelcard.


Just on that machines point, some machines at Euston, which are pretty
standard NR machines (can't remember the names of different machine
types) already have Oyster functionality, presumably because of LO.

Therefore, for all TOCs who use that kind of machine at least, the
work is already done without further redesign, presumably.