On 10/10/2014 14:26, Roland Perry wrote:

In message , at 14:22:40 on Fri, 10 Oct
2014, Mizter T remarked:
I don't think it's viable to keep Oyster just for tourists. Nor is a
"tourist tax", either by charging more for tickets or via hotel rooms,
in any way uncommon the world over.

Scenario 1: I don't have a bank account, because no-one will give me
one on account of my past misdemeanours. How do I travel around London?

Scenario 2: I am an 11 year old child. How do I travel around London?

Scenario 3: I've lost my debit card. How do I travel around London?

etc etc etc

As a local, I agree.

As a tourist, how did you fly to Heathrow?

Scenario 1: I paid with my non-contactless (or possibly contactless but
in fact UnionPay / Diners Club etc) credit/debit card.

Scenario 2: I paid with my contactless Visa/Mastercard credit/debit
card, but how are the rest of my family going to travel around London?

Scenario 3: Someone else paid for me (it was a gift / a bursary / I
don't have a credit/debit card so gave the money to someone else / I
paid the travel agency in instalments, possibly in cash...).

(Scenario 4: I didn't fly in to Heathrow, I took the Eurolines coach
from Riga.)

etc etc etc