"Jack" wrote in message
...

On Apr 2, 5:19 pm, Abigail Brady wrote:
I have an OysterCard loaded with a zones 1-3 travelcard, and commute
each morning from my ungated zone 3 station on the GOBLIN to a gated
London Underground station in zone 1.

I'm not in the habit of touching in, as it seems pointless, and as far
as I'm aware is not required by the rules (after all, the Oyster
TravelCard has *always* been valid on that route - why should this be
affected by the installation of some equipment for PAYG customers?)

Last week there were some supplementary LOL people at the station -
not doing your regular grip and inspection of all tickets, but instead
just seeming to be lurking. As I headed to the platforms as usual
they told me I should have touched in.

I told them that I didn't think I had to, I had a season ticket, and
pointed out that I might very well have a paper ticket in which case I
couldn't exactly touch in. They claimed that I had to touch in with
an Oyster season ticket anyhow. I pointed them at section 9 of the
NRCoC, which I believe makes my OysterCard-loaded-with-season
equivalent to a paper ticket, with no need to touch in under the
"validated Oyster card" requirement as it is already covered in the
"valid ticket" part of that phrase.

Is my understanding correct?

--
Abi

In a word, no.

Page 2, section 1.1
and
Page 4, section 3.6

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloa...ugust-2011.pdf

It isn't quite so clear cut.

Section 3.13 (about PAYG) says "At the station where you start your journey,
you *must* touch your Oyster card flat on a yellow card reader (see clause
3.4) at the station."

Section 3.6 (about Oyster Travelcards) says "When you use a National Rail
service, you *should* touch your Oyster card on the yellow card reader
before you start your journey, at the station you are leaving from; and at
the end of your journey, when you arrive at your destinations station.

To me, that means that it is recommended to touch in with a travelcard, but
not compulsory.

Peter Smyth