The cost benefits are not properly communicated either. I think some
people cannot beleive that the "technological option" can be cheaper
than buying paper tickets. How many low paid workers using the tube
before 06:30 know they could be getting discounted fares by using
Oyster? How has this group been targetted with marketing? How
about people who do not have English as a first language?

So, we're now on the same page - having gone via most of the Tube
system, hopefully using an Oystercard to keep the fare down

Do you, then, agree that this not-insignificant matter should be
sorted out *before* punitive fares on paper ticketing are introduced?

The "educational marketing" campaign has been lacking in many areas.
That said, there is also a significant group of people who will never come
round to the idea of electronic ticketing unless they are forced to investigate
it by some shock - such as bus fares that cost more than a pound or a tube
ride from Bow Road to Mile End that costs £3.00. Small increased have
not provided enough incentive. One can only hope that this reality is
communicated properly by January 2006 to enough people.

The phased implementation has been at a steady pace although lack of
function has been annoying such as using prepay before the buses went
live, before capping came in and before auto top up. Seeing how difficult it
is for some people (and staff) to grasp how each new feature works makes
it clear that it is the right approach. It is not desirable for too many features
to go live at once while at the same time the way the tube is run needs to
become more cost effective as quickly as possible for the good of everyone.
If it becomes too expensive to run the extra "funding" (tax) can only come
from one place.

So basically that is why I support moving along as quickly as possible with a
phased feature roll-out and why creating "incentive" fares at this stage is important.