In message , at 17:01:02 on
Sun, 15 Jan 2012, Paul Corfield remarked:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloa...-Oyster-NR.pdf
suggests that TfL are looking to extend Oyster to bus companies
outside London as part of the contactless payment card acceptance
scheme, presumably using the PAYG balance as an e-purse to purchase
the bus companies existing products.

Interesting given the strategy, as recently evidenced to the GLA
transport committee, within London is to move away from Oyster to use
of contactless bank cards and off system settlement / capping. We
also have the DfT funded work to ensure ITSO spec cards can be read by
all TfL oyster readers. You have to wonder quite what it is that
passengers will be expected to have in their wallets in a couple of
years time to use TfL services, NR trains and buses outside London. A
combined contactless bank and ITSO card ?

I expect it'll be the same as happened with other sorts of plastic cards
(including hotel and airline loyalty, various one-organisation age/ID
cards etc) in that we'll have a wallet overflowing with the pesky
things.

I've now got four[1] travel smartcards[2] and I don't predict the number
doing anything but increase

[1] It'd be five[3] if I was still travelling to Amsterdam regularly.
[2] Nottingham Bus
Oyster[4]
Stagecoach (EMT)
Barclaycard Onepulse/Oyster
[3] Or does a Digital Passport count as one as well?
[4] OK, maybe I don't need this, but I can't be bothered to work out how
to transfer the credit to my other one. And it's handy for irregular
travel companions.
--
Roland Perry